In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 22.4% of US adults aged 40-79 used over five prescriptions in the past 30 days. However, many of these prescriptions aren’t necessary. Yale geriatrician Marcia Mecca asserts that the United States has over 1.3 million emergency department visits and around 350,000 hospitalizations per year due to adverse drug effects. While some may attribute this to individuals choosing to take an excess amount of prescription drugs, the evidence points to the contrary. According to Open Payments Data, a government website, 588,514 physicians received payments of $2.48 billion from pharmaceutical companies in 2022. This includes free meals during which doctors observe drug representatives as they pitch their latest products or travel to luxury locations to serve as paid “consultants.” While the United States government explicitly bans the direct payment of pharmaceutical companies to doctors, often, these corporations find loopholes to promote their products. The number of prescriptions is closely intertwined with the financial aspect of the healthcare industry. While healthcare was initially created to save lives, it has recently become a money-grab driven by profit. Pharmaceutical companies are paying doctors to prescribe certain drugs, raising concerns about the influence this has on medical practices and patient care.
Obligation of Doctors
Since doctors are receiving billions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies, it’s important to consider the role of doctors and their obligations. Many graduating medical students recite a variant of the Hippocratic Oath, which outlines their obligations as doctors. The oath requires physicians to “do no harm” to the patient and avoid any acts of corruption that may inhibit their practice. Similarly, the American Medical Association, comprising over 250,000 medical students and professionals, released a code of ethics. The guidelines outline that physicians share the obligation to ensure that the care they provide is safe and effective, participate in activities that are consistent with the core values of the medical profession, and inform the patient about all relevant treatment options. This signifies the relevance of upholding such actions as doctors are already aware of their obligations and the duties they’ve committed to.
Impact on Patients
Doctors’ acceptance of industry payments has raised concerns regarding how their skewed prescribing habits could impact patients. Both pharmaceutical companies and doctors need to be held accountable and adjust their habits to their patient’s needs. Overprescription leads to high costs for patients because useless, expensive drugs are being prescribed and this increases the risk of facing adverse drug effects. It’s worth noting that many medications being promoted by corporations are their pricier brand-name drugs over cheaper generics, which is rising healthcare costs and straining budgets. An exclusive analysis by CNN and Harvard University researchers found that the top 84% of the top fifth percentile of opioid prescribers received payments from pharmaceutical companies and the number of drugs prescribed was proportional to the amount of money received. However, this isn’t unique to opioids, where the analysis furthered that oncologists were heavily impacted by payments when deciding what treatment to give cancer patients. When it comes to life-saving treatment, financial stakes influence doctors to prioritize payment over the most suitable treatment option. A major justification for such prescription habits is that drug representatives are teaching doctors about the medications, but this industry information is incredibly biased, being in favor of that corporation. These choices can have a major impact on patients that can destroy their livelihood which Norah Mangan, a mother of four children, experienced. When she asked her doctor for pain medication for mild arthritis, she was prescribed monthly doses of Oxycodone, an addictive opioid. Months later, the pain spread to her entire body, which depleted her family’s savings, and she faced major psychological stress. Essentially, doctors must discuss all alternatives and treatment options for the patient before overprescribing drugs. Instead of accepting industry compensation, doctors need to uphold the Code of Ethics and prioritize providing optimal care.
Conclusions
While not all doctors receive financial benefits and overprescribe prescriptions, this issue highlights that we must keep pharmaceutical companies in check. The United States government needs to take more actions to hold them accountable when considering the ethical considerations of this nationwide issue. Physicians must be motivated by treating health concerns and aiding patients, but they’re not fulfilling that role. Pharmaceutical companies altering doctors’ prescribing habits boost their profits at the expense of patients. Overprescription strains budgets and increases the risk of adverse drug effects, which could lead to hospitalizations or even death. It’s essential to take proactive measures to safeguard the integrity of corporations and doctors to prioritize the needs of patients.
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