Disease mongering

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Doctors' body accuses drug firms of 'disease mongering'

By Michael Day, Health Correspondent

(Filed: 29/08/2004)

 

 

The Royal College of General Practitioners has accused drug companies of

" disease-mongering " in order to boost sales.

 

 

 

The college, whose members include many of Britain's 37,000 GPs, says the

pharmaceutical industry is taking the National Health Service to the brink of

collapse by encouraging unnecessary prescribing of costly drugs.

 

In evidence to a parliamentary inquiry, the college accuses the companies of

over-playing the dangers of conditions such as mild depression or slightly

raised blood pressure.

 

Dr Maureen Baker, the college's honorary secretary, wants the Commons health

inquiry to investigate the companies' practices.

 

" It would be fruitful to look into the increase in disease-mongering by them, "

she told The Sunday Telegraph.

 

" It is very much in the interest of the pharmaceutical industry to draw a line

that includes as large a population as possible within the 'ill' category. The

bigger this group is, the more drugs they can sell. If current trends continue,

publicly funded health-care systems will be at risk of financial collapse with

huge cost to society as a whole. "

 

The college lists hypertension, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, anxiety and

depression as examples of common conditions that, in mild forms, are often

inappropriately treated with drugs.

 

Richard Ley, a spokesman for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical

Industry, said: " It seems odd for this criticism to come from the Royal College

of all organisations, because a decision on when and how to treat a patient is

the doctor's. "

 

Dr Baker, however, questioned the impartiality of treatment guidelines from

bodies of specialist doctors that tell GPs when and what to prescribe, saying

they were often overly influenced by and financially reliant on drug companies.

 

Earlier this month, it emerged that three senior members of the Joint Committee

on Vaccination and Immunisation, which recommended the introduction of the new

five-in-one jab for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib had

received " industrial support " from two pharmaceutical firms, Aventis Pasteur and

Merck Sharp & Dome, which are supplying the vaccination.

 

Some observers are also worried about " hard-sell " methods applied to general

practice. Last year, a survey of 1,000 GPs published in the British Medical

Journal found that those who saw drugs-company representatives at least once a

week were more likely to prescribe drugs that were not needed.