Bravo, Dr. O'Mahony. I, too, have asked to see only those reps who brought
or sent along an RCT about their product, as it relates to the elderly. I
only get to see 2-4 reps/year with this stratagem, and I HIGHLY value the
ones I see, as they are involved in true EBM discourse. This has taken on
more down south, in the USA, especially at conferences.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dr M O'Mahony [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, September 07, 1998 6:39 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: EB pharmaceutical reps
>
>
> Pharmaceutical companies support the development of our practice by
> subsidizing our library, journal subscriptions, and our Cochrane and Best
> evidence subscriptions. In return we listen to their sales pitch.
> In July, I produced an open letter for all the reps calling at the
> practice, in which I thanked them for their continuing support, but asked
> them to join us in raising the standard of our debate. I asked
> them to keep
> their promotional material out of site. I said that I would see reps who
> would present a paper from a peer reviewed journal, preferably an RCT, and
> be prepared to discuss and defend the research. In this way we could make
> the exchange more valuable.
> I have to report that whilst most reps have said that it was a jolly good
> idea, as yet not one paper has been put forward for debate. Has
> it taken so
> little to scare them all off? If so it is a sad reflection on the
> pharmaceutical industry. If any of them are reading this, our doors remain
> open to those wishing to rise to the challenge.
>
> Mark O'Mahony, General Practitioner
> Cadbury Heath Health Centre
> Parkwall Road, Bristol, BS30 8HS,
> Tel Work 0117 9805700 Fax01179805701 Home 0117 9243361
> [log in to unmask]
>
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