Pharma gifts associated with higher number and cost of prescriptions written

Drug prescribers in Washington, DC, who received gifts from pharmaceutical companies wrote more prescriptions, more costly prescriptions, and more branded prescriptions per patient than colleagues who did not receive such gifts, shows a new analysis that drew on local and federal database information.1

Some 2873 licensed professionals in the district—physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and others—wrote prescriptions under Medicare Part D, the part of the federal health insurance program covering seniors citizens that subsidizes the costs of prescription drugs. In 2013 a total of 1122 (39.1%) of these prescribers received gifts totaling $3.9m …