Drug firms give doctors $2 billion a year in free lunches

RAW STORY
Published: Thursday July 27, 2006

The New York Times is set to report on Friday that there really is such a thing as a free lunch -- at least if you're a doctor -- RAW STORY has learned.

According to the Times, drug makers regularly order and pay for lunchtime deliveries to doctor's offices across the country, providing entire staffs with pizzas, Chinese dishes, gourmet sandwiches, or Starbucks coffee.

A pitch from company representatives for their latest products comes along with the food. The cost of the lunches is entered under drug company marketing expenses and ultimately winds up beign added to the price of prescription drugs.

In 2002, the drug industry adopted a code banning most other freebies, such as travel, golf outings, tickets to sporting events, and lavish dinners, and allowing only modest meals in the course of business. Those 'modest' lunches have now ballooned to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year and industry critics are suggesting that they should be banned as well.

Although drug company officials state that they believe the lunch meetings are appropriate and, studies have shown that these meals -- as well as small gifts like pens, pads of sticky notes, and free samples -- can lead doctors to prescribe more expensive brand names rather than cheaper generics.

Several hospitals and medical centers have already banned the lunches as well as visits by drug company representatives during working hours. However, other doctors and some patients defend the practice as a welcome source of free samples.