A new report reveals big pharmaceutical companies are spending many thousands of dollars wining and dining medical specialists in a bid to educate them about treatment for conditions which are potentially subject to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
The research, conducted by the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre for Evidence, Policy and Influence, examined events attended by medical professionals, which focused on treatment for conditions including depression, osteoporosis and overactive bladder.
The findings show drastic increases in prescribing rates for many of the drugs discussed at these educational events, despite the risk of dangerous side effects and the medications promoted being less effective than other treatment options.