Dr. Kate Scannell: Educating doctors -- When Pharma writes the script

LAST YEAR, pharmaceutical companies paid about half of the cost of educating America's doctors who sought to maintain their certification. That's a whopping $1 billion of marketing — er, "education" — meant to influence how doctors in practice should treat their patients.

If the notion of drug companies teaching physicians disturbs you, you may want to ask your own doctor about "Zisain'tsobad" — an "anti-disturbiosis" pill I learned about at the last industry-sponsored educational seminar I attended. However, if you are not concerned about this troubling arrangement, you may wish to ask your doctor whether you have TMO (Too Much Obliviousness) — because you might be helped with "GetReal-II", a second-generation attitude-adjuster available in pharmacies now.

Personally, I am waiting for the discovery of a pill that will eradicate pharmaceutical companies from medical education. I've not heard this being discussed at any of the seminars, but I remain hopeful (thanks to my once-a-day DreamOnz!).

It is hard — but not impossible — to avoid drug-company sponsored "medical education" when it is so prevalent and regularly camouflaged. As a doctor, you often feel like a captive audience; most states require you to take a certain number of courses each year in continuing medical education, or "CME," to maintain your accreditation.

More