In addition, spending money on doctors whose drug choices were dictated by formulary was useless if the company's products were not among them, he said. Asked by PT if he thinks gifts, dinners, trips or other perks made much difference, Capaldi's answer was mixed. They only make a difference when you don't have them. They buy you time with a doc, time that might change his mind. Clearly it was a misrepresentation of what was supposed to go on, but it happened.
Money is the big resource.
This is exactly the kind of anecdote that has critics of lavish pharmaceutical marketing practices worried but not particularly surprised. They are influenced, and there's scientific evidence to prove it. Rakatansky and other critics of extravagant gift-giving by the pharmaceutical industry also are disturbed by studies examining patients' attitudes toward perks. The survey included ratings of 10 different gifts, including small texts, videos, mugs, drug samples, meals and trips. Schmid worked as a drug rep in Austria in the late 1960s and early 1970s and generally likes reps.