The Department of Health (DOH) cautioned doctors on Tuesday that accepting “gifts” in exchange over their preferences of a company’s manufactured pharmaceuticals could cost them their licenses.
According to DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, while the “trading” scheme remains subject to inquiry, the information that doctors are getting “incentives” has already reached their office. The incentives given by companies allegedly include luxury cars and other items of value.
In exchange for these luxury items, doctors are then obligated to prescribe the company’s brand of pharmaceutical to their patients.
The DOH spokesperson said in a public briefing, “Based on our code of ethics in the medical profession by the Philippine Medical Association, which has a basis in law because the Medical Act also states that a doctor can actually have his license revoked or suspended by the Professional Regulation Commission if the code of ethics is violated.”
“What is inscribed in our Code of Ethics? We should never receive any payment or incentive, rewards, or financial inducements from medical and pharmaceutical companies to favor their products,” he added.
On this note, Health Reform advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon has sought a Senate investigation into the supposed “prescription for sale” perpetrated by some unscrupulous doctors in exchange for luxury gifts—like Rolex watches and Lexus cars—on top of huge cash, plane tickets, and other perks.
Leachon on Tuesday called on Senate Health Committee chairperson Christopher Go, and Senators Raffy Tulfo, and Joseph Victor Ejercito to look into this issue, which a whistleblower from a local pharmaceutical company described as “worse than Pharmally.”
In a phone interview, Leachon—a former consultant of the DOH—assailed the “prescription for sale” scheme, saying that said doctors and everyone involved in this practice reek of shameless greed.
Leachon stressed this is tantamount to indiscriminate prescription of medical products to patients by doctors involved in this illegal practice. This results in additional expenses for the patients and possible side effects of drugs.
“As a doctor prescribes a drug not needed by patients, the latter incur more expenses,” according to Leachon, the former President of the College of Physicians.
“This is a degradation of moral values and destruction of the nobility of the medical profession and the doctor-patient relationship which is anchored on trust,” he stated further.
Leachon noted that such practice violates the Code of Ethics of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC), and the Hippocratic Oath.
He said a whistleblower reported that a local drug firm has been recruiting doctors to join their program of prescribing exclusively their medicines to patients even if they don’t need them.
The whistleblower is a former employee of the said pharma firm, who resigned in 2020.
“There’s a lot of money going around, as in millions on an individual doctor level, as in “MLM (multilevel marketing) style,” according to the whistleblower.
The drug firm allegedly imposed a quota on member doctors, who are well-entrenched in the industry. They have been receiving rebates among other expensive perks.
The whistleblower also said all receipts are automated and could be tracked. This way, the pharmaceutical firm will know the best performing doctors who deserve to be rewarded.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Dark side of the medical profession: Leachon brings ‘prescription for sale’ modus to Senate attention