The Student Room Group

Drug Reps Bribing

Dear All,

I just wanted your opinion and stories about drug reps bribing. All the senior doctors I have spoken to have mentioned about their lavisih free dinners/ conferences paid by the drug reps. The free lunch is nice but isn't that bribing to a certain extent?

Would be interesting to hear other people's opinion.
Reply 1
Avatar for Helenia
Helenia
20
It's decreased drastically in the last couple of years, even within my limited career memory. You're lucky to get a free lanyard/pen these days. Although there has been a women flogging Chloraprep sticks in our theatres, supplying cookies for several weeks.

And yes, of course it's bribery, but as a junior you have no influence whatsoever over what drugs the hospital chooses to buy, so any attempts at bribery made on you are pointless.
Reply 2
Avatar for futurefy1
futurefy1
OP
That is very rude Helenia. I was just asking about stories but you do not have to belittle future junior doctors!
Reply 3
Avatar for lisalee2
lisalee2
Just read the title and saw the messages below. Although I agree with the second comment I do understand where future fy1 is coming from. Junior doctors are treated with respect but there are a few seniors that will belittle them. I didn't expect this to occur online.
Reply 4
Avatar for flyer999
flyer999
Original post by Helenia
It's decreased drastically in the last couple of years, even within my limited career memory. You're lucky to get a free lanyard/pen these days. Although there has been a women flogging Chloraprep sticks in our theatres, supplying cookies for several weeks.

And yes, of course it's bribery, but as a junior you have no influence whatsoever over what drugs the hospital chooses to buy, so any attempts at bribery made on you are pointless.


Wow, cyberbully alert. Nobody in the health profession is "pointless". I am sure you were a junior doctor once.
Original post by futurefy1
That is very rude Helenia. I was just asking about stories but you do not have to belittle future junior doctors!


Original post by lisalee2
Just read the title and saw the messages below. Although I agree with the second comment I do understand where future fy1 is coming from. Junior doctors are treated with respect but there are a few seniors that will belittle them. I didn't expect this to occur online.


Original post by flyer999
Wow, cyberbully alert. Nobody in the health profession is "pointless". I am sure you were a junior doctor once.


So how many accounts do you have?
Original post by shiggydiggy
So how many accounts do you have?


Lol. OK.

Now, the responses make sense.
Original post by DorianGrayism
Lol. OK.

Now, the responses make sense.


Probably some journalist making a contrived effort to stir up some material for an article.
Original post by shiggydiggy
So how many accounts do you have?


haha, well spotted.
Original post by futurefy1
That is very rude Helenia. I was just asking about stories but you do not have to belittle future junior doctors!


I don't think Helenia, was belittling junior doctors merely pointing out the futility of bribing the juniors.

Highlighting the lack of influence on the hospital prescribing policy is hardly belittling, as all juniors know that is not an aspect of their role at this early stage.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by shiggydiggy
Probably some journalist making a contrived effort to stir up some material for an article.


May as well respond. Even if they are a journalist. Ahh well


Posted from TSR Mobile
If you want bribery, try talking to anyone in the financial/consultancy industry. There's an entire industry built up around corporate types bribing each other with expensive meals, lavish clubs and generally paying to swoon your clients into parting with their money the money their employees generate.
Original post by futurefy1
That is very rude Helenia. I was just asking about stories but you do not have to belittle future junior doctors!


I am a junior doctor! How on earth am I belittling them or bullying anyone? :rolleyes:

Posted from TSR Mobile
I think that Helenia makes a valid point that juniors have little to no influence at this stage at their careers.

However, as they progress, this influence will increase and so it makes sense (from a purely business perspective) to get them onside early on.

Drug reps (even those with innocous seeming cookies and less than appealing tesco sandwiches at lunches) and the companies they represent are shrewd. You'd be surprised how far a freebie lanyard or deck of post-its goes, otherwise they wouldn't waste their time and money.
Yeah, it definitely happens but has decreased dramatically - my dad's a doctor too and 10 years ago he'd get flown business class to conferences and get put up in 5* hotels by drug companies. Now there are restrictions - they're only allowed to fly you economy and put you up in a 4* hotel. I mean, that's obviously a much bigger scale than the free sandwiches etc, which yes, are sort of bribery, but I don't think they'll really matter that much. I doubt a doctor will think 'ah yes, they got us cookies so i'll go with that drug'.
It's true, my house used to be full of free mugs and pens. Some of the little things were awesome. Best one was advertising this anti-acne cream - there was a mug where the spots on the guy's face disappeared when you filled it with hot water, and a pen where if you clicked it on and off the spots would come and go :P Which is super cool when you're about 10.

Then there was also a computer mouse once with a little crocodile floating in it... I thought that was also super awesome. Then I googled the name on it (Aldara) and realised it was some genital wart treatment. So I switched back to my old mouse. Ah, nostalgia.
Original post by Helenia
It's decreased drastically in the last couple of years, even within my limited career memory. You're lucky to get a free lanyard/pen these days. Although there has been a women flogging Chloraprep sticks in our theatres, supplying cookies for several weeks.

And yes, of course it's bribery, but as a junior you have no influence whatsoever over what drugs the hospital chooses to buy, so any attempts at bribery made on you are pointless.


I've not seen any of them dish out pens or lanyards for a good few years now, though occasionally they do arrange "training" evenings which usually involve an expensive meal and drinks paid for by the company.
Reply 17
Avatar for drsjg
drsjg
1
I'm going to a four-day conference next month and being put up in a hotel, paid for by a drug company. This sort of thing does still happen, though probably not as much as in the past and it depends where you work.

I don't really see it as bribery, and am quite relaxed about it for these reasons:

- It's a good meeting that will improve my practice, that I probably wouldn't be able to afford to attend otherwise.
- As Helenia said I don't have any influence over purchasing decisions, so any attempts to bribe me would be pretty futile.
- In this case the company only makes one drug that is of any interest to me, and that drug doesn't have any competitors at present in any case.

My wife sees things differently and thinks its all a massive conspiracy though :smile:

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