Consider these statistics:
There are more nurse practitioners (147,000) than there are family physicians (100,000) in the US.
These advance practice nurse professionals can write prescriptions, and it’s estimated that the average nurse practitioner writes more than 6,000 a year.
And about 70-80% of those nurses who regularly attended lunch or dinner “continuing education” events sponsored by drug companies said they were more likely to prescribe the drugs that were highlighted in the lunch.
All of these statistics were presented at last week’s Georgetown conference, “Prescription for Conflict: Should Industry Fund Continuing Medical Education?”
The presenter was nurse-researcher Elissa Ladd, PhD, RN, Asst. Clinical Professor, Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, who says the possible pharma influence on nurse-prescribers has largely flown “under the radar.”
Opinions on other issues in news, journals, PR, advertising, marketing
Puleeeeease... this 'game changer' weight loss drug causes more nausea and vomiting than a placebo. Some game, some change. My friend Gary would spank you for using the eighth word medical reporters should never, ever use. @garyschwitzer @thackerpd
https://www.healthnewsreview.org/toolkit/just-journalists-writing-tips-case-studies/7-words-and-more-you-shouldnt-use-in-medical-news/ https://twitter.com/OttawaCitizen/status/1361426796126830597
A scary @statnews Op-Ed warns that govt attempts to rein in Pharma may cut off access to "life-changing" drugs.
It takes @garyschwitzer to let us know: the author spent 10 years as Pfizer's public-policy chief. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1360325022578053123
.@TranspariMED criticizes STAT op-ed for not disclosing pharma funding of author’s institute - similar to criticism we’ve made of STAT op-eds in the past. @transparify @ThinkTankWatch @icer_review https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2021/02/transparency-watchdog-criticizes-stats-non-disclosure-on-pro-pharma-op-ed/
Comments
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Shawn Kennedy
July 1, 2010 at 11:23 amGreat post and this is an important topic that needs to be kept on NPs’ radar. But it’s not just an issue for NPs – all nurses need to be aware of the potential for inluence. I’ve continued the discussion on AJN’s blog, http://bit.ly/de6BFO.
Bill
July 1, 2010 at 12:17 pmInfluencing people (doctors, nurses, NPs, PAs, etc) is what sales reps are hired to do. Additionally, this is as American as apple pie. It is, simply stated, the American way.
In many areas, medical practices ‘compete’ for pts, thus they often sell themselves and their services…
Those (providers or reps) who would lie or rep lesser products, don’t last.
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