5 ms·

Faux-objective journalism is such a soulless drag. Everyone has biases, attempting to hide them is just gutless. If doctors just prescribed whatever gave the b

Faux-objective journalism is such a soulless drag. Everyone has biases, attempting to hide them is just gutless. If doctors just prescribed whatever gave the bigger commission from drug companies, would you ever trust a doctor?

usbline 5y ago
I wasn't aware that journalists prescribed medicine. Don't be disingenuous!
- goatinaboat 5y ago
  It’s called an analogy, it’s illustrating a situation where a professional’s interests are misaligned with the users of their services.
  - usbline 5y ago
    It's not a very good analogy!
moate 5y ago
I mean...many of them do? At least in America, that's a thing. Now it might not be the ONLY factor (I don't believe most MDs are out here prescribing things that patients wouldn't find beneficial) but it plays into their equation. And occasionally we do hear stories about pill farms...
- Nasrudith 5y ago
  I have seen the opposite with doctors in my experience, going with what is the cheapest working option for the patient be it handing out several free sample packs to try a drug to checking for best covered option as a default. Like "XR is more expensive but we can subsitute three times a day for as cheap with your minimal plan vs okay you have good insurance, I can switch you to XR". I guess it is just good medical practice to help ensure dosage compliance if they aren't trying to ration the expense.
  - moate 5y ago
    "Many" in my post was not meant to imply "most". I have no idea how many doctors are more focused on the money vs saving lives, but it's >0%. I will say my experience as a patient has reflected what you're describing, and that it would likely be that "doing what is best for my patient" often involves doing what's best for their bank account. I just know I worked in pharma advertising, and we def identified who helped push product. There's a reason the industry is so heavily regulated, well actually many reasons, but one of them is def because drug companies exploit US insurance practices using copay and other programs which allow. And people doctors definitely have different attitudes when speaking with "Dude with platinum level insurance" and "Dude who has no insurance and works as a waiter".

usbline 5y ago

I wasn't aware that journalists prescribed medicine. Don't be disingenuous!

goatinaboat 5y ago
It’s called an analogy, it’s illustrating a situation where a professional’s interests are misaligned with the users of their services.
- usbline 5y ago
  It's not a very good analogy!

moate 5y ago

I mean...many of them do? At least in America, that's a thing. Now it might not be the ONLY factor (I don't believe most MDs are out here prescribing things that patients wouldn't find beneficial) but it plays into their equation. And occasionally we do hear stories about pill farms...

Nasrudith 5y ago
I have seen the opposite with doctors in my experience, going with what is the cheapest working option for the patient be it handing out several free sample packs to try a drug to checking for best covered option as a default. Like "XR is more expensive but we can subsitute three times a day for as cheap with your minimal plan vs okay you have good insurance, I can switch you to XR". I guess it is just good medical practice to help ensure dosage compliance if they aren't trying to ration the expense.
- moate 5y ago
  "Many" in my post was not meant to imply "most". I have no idea how many doctors are more focused on the money vs saving lives, but it's >0%. I will say my experience as a patient has reflected what you're describing, and that it would likely be that "doing what is best for my patient" often involves doing what's best for their bank account. I just know I worked in pharma advertising, and we def identified who helped push product. There's a reason the industry is so heavily regulated, well actually many reasons, but one of them is def because drug companies exploit US insurance practices using copay and other programs which allow. And people doctors definitely have different attitudes when speaking with "Dude with platinum level insurance" and "Dude who has no insurance and works as a waiter".