Duncan Firm, P.A. - Arkansas Injury Trial Lawyers

Minnesota limited the gifts doctors can receive from pharmaceutical companies around two years ago to no more than $50 worth of food or other gifts a year making it harder for drug company sales representatives to market to doctors. According to a survey by ImpactRX, the number of visits to Minnesota primary care doctors decreased about twice the rate of the decline reported by primary care doctors nationwide and a number of Minnesota hospitals and clinics have banned visits from these reps. After the cap laws on gifts Dr. Michael Brainerd, a Minnesota pediatrician, said, "It's made the doctors think about whether to ban them." Pharma Reps argue they are trying to accomidate a doctors busy schedule by providing lunches and such to make sure they have time to provide the doctors with much needed information about the drugs. The attorney general in New Jersey said, "When you see a doctor, you should have confidence that the advice you get is based on what's best for you and not on some financial incentives or gifts that the doctor is getting."

Lawmakers are banned from accepting gifts from lobbyists, why not doctors? Do gifts affect doctors less than politicians?

Questions:

1.) Do gifts from Drug reps effect a doctors decision on what drug he prescribes?

2.) Should doctors be allowed to accept unlimited amounts of gifts from drug companies?

3.) Would laws limiting gifts to doctors by drug companies change the drugs prescribed?