http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/082011/08032011/643114/index_html?page=1
Seventy-seven local doctors took part in Eli Lilly's free meal program.
Date published: 8/3/2011
BY JIM HALL
Judging by the new information on its website, Eli Lilly is buying a lot of takeout meals for the nation's doctors.
The drug giant reported last week that it spent $1.7 million from January through March of this year on business meals for doctors. Thousands of U.S. physicians took part in Lilly lunches, including 77 doctors from the Fredericksburg area.
The information is from Lilly's new Physician Payment Registry, an online listing. Lilly has published a version of the registry since 2009, detailing the money that it pays to doctors for research, consulting and sales work. The latest update, posted July 27, includes for the first time the money spent for food and beverages.
Meal money represents about 4 percent of the $48 million that Lilly paid doctors during the first quarter of the year. Yet it involves many more doctors than its other programs.
Lilly says the food is often served at doctors' offices or hospitals during sales presentations by its drug reps.
Dr. Christopher Lillis, a local internist, said yesterday in an email that he and his colleagues allow the sales pitches at their office at lunchtime. The company says on its website that it spent $58 on Lillis during the first quarter.
"They will often bring food from places like Panera Bread, Ruby Tuesday's or other restaurants," Lillis said. "Sometimes they will bring a local physician, a specialist, to provide us better clinical information about the disease process that their drug treats, or the specific benefits of their drug. Speaking fees are provided to those physicians."
Critics have argued that drug company payments to doctors, including free food, can affect which drugs the doctors prescribe for their patients.
On its website, Eli Lilly defends the practice:
"Physicians and their staff are very busy and find it difficult to take time away from patient care to keep up with product information and other medical developments. Consequently, Lilly and other companies often use the lunch and dinner hours as a time to exchange information with physicians and their staff and answer product questions."
But Lillis said the presentations have an effect.
"I think it is proven that bringing lunches to physicians changes prescribing habits," he said. "Doctors, including myself, will be quick to say that they are not swayed by the marketing of these companies, but the research suggests otherwise."
Lillis added, "I think if you interviewed pharmaceutical marketing representatives, they would tell you that I am very tough on them. It takes a lot to change my prescribing habits, i.e., a clearly superior drug. Most of the representatives who bring lunch are trying to market drugs that have generic alternatives, and most of those reps leave our office pretty frustrated."
Locally, Eli Lilly said it provided meals to primary care doctors and specialists. The amount spent locally per doctor for the first quarter ranges from $10 to $94.
The amounts vary, an Eli Lilly spokesman said Monday, depending on the number and types of meals provided.
Three local doctors also received money from Lilly during the first quarter for speaking to other doctors about the company's drugs.
They were: Dr. Thomas Martyak, cardiologist, $22,050; Dr. Abel Alfonso, endocrinologist, $3,950; and Dr. Mark McClanahan, endocrinologist, $2,200.
Lilly provides the payment information as part of a 2009 court settlement after it pleaded guilty to marketing violations.
lillyphysicianpaymentregistry.com/Registry/Registry
Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com
Seventy-seven local doctors took part in Eli Lilly's free meal program.
Date published: 8/3/2011
BY JIM HALL
Judging by the new information on its website, Eli Lilly is buying a lot of takeout meals for the nation's doctors.
The drug giant reported last week that it spent $1.7 million from January through March of this year on business meals for doctors. Thousands of U.S. physicians took part in Lilly lunches, including 77 doctors from the Fredericksburg area.
The information is from Lilly's new Physician Payment Registry, an online listing. Lilly has published a version of the registry since 2009, detailing the money that it pays to doctors for research, consulting and sales work. The latest update, posted July 27, includes for the first time the money spent for food and beverages.
Meal money represents about 4 percent of the $48 million that Lilly paid doctors during the first quarter of the year. Yet it involves many more doctors than its other programs.
Lilly says the food is often served at doctors' offices or hospitals during sales presentations by its drug reps.
Dr. Christopher Lillis, a local internist, said yesterday in an email that he and his colleagues allow the sales pitches at their office at lunchtime. The company says on its website that it spent $58 on Lillis during the first quarter.
"They will often bring food from places like Panera Bread, Ruby Tuesday's or other restaurants," Lillis said. "Sometimes they will bring a local physician, a specialist, to provide us better clinical information about the disease process that their drug treats, or the specific benefits of their drug. Speaking fees are provided to those physicians."
Critics have argued that drug company payments to doctors, including free food, can affect which drugs the doctors prescribe for their patients.
On its website, Eli Lilly defends the practice:
"Physicians and their staff are very busy and find it difficult to take time away from patient care to keep up with product information and other medical developments. Consequently, Lilly and other companies often use the lunch and dinner hours as a time to exchange information with physicians and their staff and answer product questions."
But Lillis said the presentations have an effect.
"I think it is proven that bringing lunches to physicians changes prescribing habits," he said. "Doctors, including myself, will be quick to say that they are not swayed by the marketing of these companies, but the research suggests otherwise."
Lillis added, "I think if you interviewed pharmaceutical marketing representatives, they would tell you that I am very tough on them. It takes a lot to change my prescribing habits, i.e., a clearly superior drug. Most of the representatives who bring lunch are trying to market drugs that have generic alternatives, and most of those reps leave our office pretty frustrated."
Locally, Eli Lilly said it provided meals to primary care doctors and specialists. The amount spent locally per doctor for the first quarter ranges from $10 to $94.
The amounts vary, an Eli Lilly spokesman said Monday, depending on the number and types of meals provided.
Three local doctors also received money from Lilly during the first quarter for speaking to other doctors about the company's drugs.
They were: Dr. Thomas Martyak, cardiologist, $22,050; Dr. Abel Alfonso, endocrinologist, $3,950; and Dr. Mark McClanahan, endocrinologist, $2,200.
Lilly provides the payment information as part of a 2009 court settlement after it pleaded guilty to marketing violations.
lillyphysicianpaymentregistry.com/Registry/Registry
Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com