U.S. to make More Drugs Easily Available, Cutting Role Doctors Play

Post by illvm » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 9:18 PM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #72

spullara wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cynical view is that other countries have restrictions around drug advertising because if an expensive drug is demanded they have to pay for it through their single payer system. I can imagine not wanting the population to find out that there is cure for Hepatitis C but it costs the country 20k per person. Not all countries are as forward thinking as Australia: http://theconversation.com/australia-leads-the-world…

Only New Zealand and the US allow prescription drug marketing directly to consumers. And yet, all other developed nations seem to be doing well managing pharma access for their citizens. A cynic might think this policy is intended to juice US pharma profits.

Post by thatcat » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 9:24 PM UTC

aesclepius wrote: post #86

gaius wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, the doctor is aware of your health history Your doctor skims your notes in the 20 seconds between the receptionist calling your name and you entering her office, in handwriting she can barely read herself, and has forgotten you before you’re even back in the waiting room after spending 5 minutes talking to you while she’s really thinking about the new Audi. That’s as far as the awareness goes.

Thanks for speaking for the entire medical profession. That is in fact what a terrible physician does, and not what myself or other newly trained physicians aspire to do.

Post by throwaway-hn123 » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 9:26 PM UTC

gaius wrote: post #80

Communitivity wrote: post #69

There are better ways to go about this. As others have noted, there must be a mechanism for a continual prescription to be easily filled, e.g. insulin, metformin, etc. I could see a long term prescription that has to be renewed each year and is good at any pharmacy. For the short term prescriptions though, cutting the doctor out of it makes people much more susceptible to marketing (instead of 'ask your doctor if you…

Also, the doctor is aware of your health history Your doctor skims your notes in the 20 seconds between the receptionist calling your name and you entering her office, in handwriting she can barely read herself, and has forgotten you before you’re even back in the waiting room after spending 5 minutes talking to you while she’s really thinking about the new Audi. That’s as far as the awareness goes.

Post by jimmy1 » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 9:31 PM UTC

athenot wrote: post #19

I have mixed feelings about this, especially considering the US is the only first world country where direct-to-consumer marketing is allowed for medications. Bypassing the prescription requirement is of course of significant value to drug companies, who expend quite a bit of resources to sway doctors with free lunches, conferences and soft persuasion tactics. Usually I welcome the freedom to chose but this doesn't i…

Post by SloopJon » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 9:35 PM UTC

rdiddly wrote: post #64

When you already know what drug you need and just need somebody to sign a prescription, it's a very silly and awkward process to find a doctor, make the appointment, wait for the appointment, show up to the appointment, fill out the history forms and so on, meet with the doc, tell them you've got [disease] and the drug for it is [drug], let them examine you until they agree with your "diagnosis" of [disease], and let…