I spent a good portion of my day trying to help a patient with her medications. She just got out of the hospital after having 4 cardiac stents put in place. Her cardiologist put her on 4 name brand, very costly drugs. She is a contractor where I work and has no medical insurance. All told, her medicines cost a quarter of her gross monthly salary.
Have doctors never heard of the $4 prescription plan offered by several chain pharmacies? There are plenty of generic beta-blockers, calcium blockers and cholesterol medicines. She says she asked her doctor if there weren't some generic alternatives, and he told her no. Now, I realize I'm not a cardiologist, but surely some of these $4 drugs are just as effective as the pricey, brand-new, shiny drugs.
Of course, pretty drug reps in short tight skirts don't offer you glamorous trips to exotic locations for prescribing generics.
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Incredible, ennit? A few years ago I developed an eye infection. The doctor I saw gave me a prescription for some 4th-gen antibiotic drops. I can't remember the name, but it was _expensive_. Something like $100 for a 1ml bottle. I guess 'cillins don't work any more.
Ofloxacin, it was, if anyone cares. Works well, I guess, but wow, it's pricey stuff.
It's all about the drug reps. My wife (pharmacist) sees people come in with new scripts once a drug becomes generic. Let's see, that drug was good enough when it was brand name, but now that it's generic it isn't?
Doctors need to learn to worry about their patients and not about the attention from the drug reps.
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