Goodbye to Drug Company Goodies

I know, I know you love your Cialis ball point pen but but as of yesterday, drug companies will stop giving doctors promotional shwag like branded pens, mugs, and prescription pads.

The new voluntary industry guidelines try to counter the impression that gifts to doctors are intended to unduly influence medicine. Some skeptics deride the voluntary ban as a superficial measure that does nothing to curb the far larger amounts drug companies spend each year on various other efforts to influence physicians. But proponents welcome it as a step toward ending the barrage of drug brands and logos that surround, and may subliminally influence, doctors and patients. -NY Times

For a interesting look at all the crap drug companies give out to doctors, check out http://drugreptoys.blogspot.com/, a blog collection of toys and trinkets with which drug companies make themselves known to physicians. the blog owner says "there isn't really an ulterior motive here, I don't think. Draw your own conclusions." Very interesting...