The AMA: an information-leasing racket!

Daniel Carlat, MD has written a piece in the New York Times that is perhaps the most transparent look into the world of pharmaceutical marketing tactics that I have ever read, " Dr. Drug Rep."

I learned a great amount from this piece about one of my least favorite parts of health care. Dr. Carlat discusses his year long experience as a "drug rep with an MD" and provides quite the insider perspective.

I was most surprised when Dr. Carlat discussed data mining for physician prescription trends and pointed a finger at the AMA as a major player. Information that the AMA leases to marketing companies is critical in providing pharmaceutical companies specific information to target individual doctors.

"The A.M.A. licenses its file of U.S. physicians, allowing the data-mining companies to match up D.E.A. numbers to specific physicians. The A.M.A. makes millions in information-leasing money."

This relationship may be acceptable in other industries, but seems out of place for a professional medical organization purportedly concerned with unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry. A profession truly interested in health care reform could be expected to make better decisions.

ERIC