Further update: Here's the video. See for yourself who's got the better arguments. And Dr. Carlat himself gives us a shout-out -- particularly to our insightful commenters.
UPDATE: Check out NewsNight with Jim Braude on NECN 8pm tonight, for a tete-a-tete(-a-tete) betweeen pharma supporter Dr. Tom Stossel of Brigham and Women's, and ex-pharma-tout Dr. Daniel Carlat.
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Is this a possible effect on the business climate with a ban on gifts from drug companies to docs? Here's an email from a caterer, complaining about the business he'll miss out on if the gift ban passes:
Dear Representative xxxxx, After speaking with my representative, he recommended that I share my perspective and experience with you and the rest of your colleagues in the House in an effort to avert an unintended consequence that could potentially mean the loss of hundreds of jobs in the Commonwealth, as well as my own company, RestaurantsToYou.com.
Since when has a business lunch been at the risk of being outlawed in America? How could we think that the most highly educated people in the world, Doctors, could be manipulated by the offer of a ham sandwich and chips from a pharmaceutical or medical device company sales agent? Instead, the opposite is true. Doctors routinely ask these reps to go do more research for them, at no cost to the doctor, so that they can have additional information for their individual analysis that they will use to make decisions regarding their patients.
And how will the Massachusetts economy react to the loss of over $40,000,000 of food sales from local restaurants and delicatessens that are currently the makers of these simple sandwiches and salads for the doctor's "Lunch and Learns"? These doctors are eating sandwiches in the kitchenettes of their office delivered from the corner restaurant, not surf and turf at Morton's. Typical breakfasts and lunches cost $8 to $20 per person with taxes and delivery, not the $60-per-plate meals some must think these companies are buying for doctors in order to get them to see their products. The loss of $20,000 per year in food sales from each of over 2000 pharmaceutical or medical device company sales representatives in Massachusetts alone will hammer the food service industry, resulting in lost jobs, closed restaurants, and lost sales taxes.
As a business owner with unique insight into this issue, I urge you to strike all references to meals as gifts in Senate Bill 2660. I have included reference material below for your review.
Thank you for your consideration of this information and support of an alteration to this bill.
Kevin Abt Founder & CEO RestaurantsToYou.com
Now, this is not to pick on Mr. Abt, who certainly does have a business interest here. And there's a long supplementary section to his letter, in which he says that he's merely hoping for an exception for meals between $8-$20 in value "to be purchased and delivered to doctors and their staff for consumption while the representative presents and answers questions." All fine and well, but of course, we end up paying for that $40 million and more as consumers. That $40 million is just a marketing investment in hopes of a much, much greater return.
And so this is the kind of decision-making one is left with: What set of problems do you want to have? Should PhRMA companies be able to legally bribe docs with gifts large or small -- a practice for which all of us end up paying through the nose?
If not, yeah, it might be a pinch on Mr. Abt's business. But it would mean more money in the rest of our pockets.
