IAR: Doctors Like Web for Drug Info, Still Want Perks

Critics of drug companies frequently target the "detailing" sessions that the firms use to both inform doctors about drugs and also ply them with special benefits, ranging from travel to expensive gifts. Consumer health advocates worry that this encourages doctors to unnecessarily recommend more expensive drugs. A new Jupiter study shows that, while a majority of web-savvy physicians will attend e-detailing sessions this year, five out of six doctors say their participation has been limited by a lack of "adequate compensation," indicating they've grown to expect payment for considering these pitches.

Some pharmaceutical companies have tried to adapt by taking the payment practices, already called corrupt offline, and bringing them online. While major medical groups forbid payments of cash or non-medical goods, online commerce is being used as a way to launder "medical" gift certificates. Some drug companies, for instance, have offered $100 online shopping gift certificates to Amazon.com for "medical use." In October, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told drug companies they could not pay doctors to switch drugs.