Ed Silverman of WSJ Pharmalot links to comedian John Oliver’s satirical criticism of marketing and corruption in the medical system, and provides responses from the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America and the American Medical Association.
Does Pharma Money Mix With Cash Receptors in Your Doctor’s Wallet? (WSJ Pharmalot, February 9, 2015)
Hilarious! (as I cruise the internet not sleeping from the withdrawal from pharmaceuticals…)
A friend told me about the segment and I just watched it last night on YouTube. The responses by PHRMA and the AMA were nonresponses, in my opinion. They merely said they supported transparency, the one positive thing mentioned about Pharma in the bit.. None other other issues were addressed.
Oliver’s piece was amazing and Chuck you are right…those were “non responses.”
Though Oliver addressed the corruption inherent in direct advertising (“Ask your doctor!”), scripted lectures from Pharma for “thought leader” doctors, the amazing over prescription of meds (70 percent on at least one med), he did not address the poor outcomes of many of these drugs and especially the deleterious effects of long term use of psychiatric drugs.
The movement here to address the ills of psychiatry easily bleeds into a wide critique of modern medicine in toto.
Lovely to see Oliver’s piece get so much play though.
Good job :). The “advertisement” at the end of the clip is hilarious.
Laughed when I watched this. The end part “Physician Prescribing Drug Rep” was right on target.
Thank you.
