Comments on: Heartbreak Of Psoriasis: Amgen Rep Cries Foul

By: Turning up the heat on Amgen

Turning up the heat on Amgen — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:56:38 +0000

[...] problems don’t stop there. Ed Silverman, writing for Pharmalot, notes that the Senate Finance Committee is also investigating Amgen as part of a broader [...]

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:12:24 +0000

As a former Amgen employee, i can attest that this is merely the top of the scab; start peeling it back and you will surely find a host of other unethical practices being performed on a routine basis. It is sad how such a great company that Amgen once was could be corrupted by greed and brought to the position they occupy now.

By: C. Dianne

C. Dianne — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:20:06 +0000

No one has discussed yet how some doctors offices are installing and using software/”free” computer systems they receive from pharma that automatically feed patient diagnoses outside of the privacy of the doctor’s office. When an outside entity has access to the data that is computerized within private offices, even if patient names are not divulged, it still paves a way for other entities to Farm the Data. The whole era of electronic medical record has made it almost laughable that privacy in medicine even exists today. My frame of reference is that I was a long term staff member of a medical office. The Amgen memo above is old news to me. I was asked many times to scan specific diagnosis codes to identify patients with specific diagnoses for designer studies to further bring income into the “group” practice. Drug reps can only get access to what doctors allow them to access. Some of it may be for the good of the patient, but it all potentially adds profits to the bottom line. Now, with the news about new meds for diagnoses that may not even be diseases, I see huge conflict-of-interest issues. Physicians should strictly adhere to the AMA code of ethics and to the hipoccratic oath to “do no harm.” Thank God for the NY Times reporters who have the guts to report this stuff. Right now, it looks like they are the best advocates the poor patients have and I commend them for their ethics.

By: Hank

Hank — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:03:56 +0000

Thanks for all the excellent comments except the last, if I understand it correctly.

I happened to be doing some on-line research for a family member who recently developed psoriasis (mild). Embrel virtually screams from every page. I understand it could be argued that this is simply a way of “making it known” for severe cases. But I can’t recall so aggressive a use of web search engines. The apparent “rest of the story” doesn’t surprise me.

By: ex-manager

ex-manager — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:41:29 +0000

Wah wah waaaahhhh from more reps who want to get paid 6 figures for not working. These reps will find out, because they’ll never get hired in the industry again.

By: Karma

Karma — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 03:20:40 +0000

And who usually facilitates these best practices between districts? I wonder if the West Region Director is nervous…huh Tex?

By: Patient

Patient — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:59:21 +0000

Oh I agree - shame on the doc’s office as well - actually the whole system/practics is shameful. I would NEVER use Enbrel for this reason alone (never mind whatever side effects or benefits) knowing the mfr is this shady puts me “off” to using any of their products.

By: Mariel

Mariel — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:26:22 +0000

What about the doctors office that allows sales rep access to their patient files? Shame on them!
Shady/illegal sales tactics can be expected from the pharma companies, but complicity from the doctors office can only happen in countries where health care is a business and not a service.

By: Patient

Patient — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:26:49 +0000

I received these mailings from Amgen and was very curious at the time as to how they knew to target me as a patient - now I know… nice to know my patient “right to privacy” were violated so freely

Shame, shame on YOU Amgen

By: Heidi

Heidi — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:33:15 +0000

Several reps in So CA have left Amgen because of the DM that was insisitng on “illegal” or borerline actions. Carrie, the Enbrel Rep in SD, actually filed a compliant with Amgen’s HR Dept to document the DM’s pushy & unwelcome tactics in offices.