SUMMARY: Medicine is part science, part detective and part experience but it’s a mistake to think that all health problems can be remedied by a visit to the doctor and…
Category: As I See It
DTC is not working anymore
WHAT”S GOING ON: DTC TV ads aren’t working. There are too many barriers to get people to ask for or switch to new treatments. Even with improved benefits, most patients…
The Lower Drug Costs Now Act is needed NOW!
KEY ARGUMENT: The Lower Drug Costs Now Act, spearheaded by the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, could save $345 billion in federal spending over seven years, the Congressional Budget Office has found. It…
Past-due medical bills are the reason 59 percent of Americans are contacted by a debt collector
HEY NOW: Past-due medical bills are the reason 59 percent of Americans are contacted by a debt collector and 16 percent of Americans’ credit reports include medical debt — about $81 billion total. Yale…
Patients want physician recommendations? Uh…NO!
HEY NOW: According to Doctors.com “88% of consumers want pharmaceutical and medical device brand websites to feature a doctor directory. Ha? Pharma company reputations are in the toilet and people…
The debate on Biogen’s AZ drug
WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING: STAT news article “I used to work on Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug. Is the company spinning bad data?” is generating quite a debate. Some people support Biogen’s…
DRG-Physician-pharma rep engagement has declined significantly in the past year
SHORT READ: According to DRG “physician-pharma rep engagement has declined significantly in the past year, with in-person interaction, traditionally pharma’s main commercial lever, accounting for most of the drop. Remote…
Health misinformation in Facebook groups
KEY TAKEAWAY: According to a 2018 study from the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of American adults turn to Facebook for news, and a lot of people belong to Facebook groups for…