Blood and Money

I was going to write about fashion and art and whimsy (and death and depression and cancer) inspired by the obit page, but then I read something really scary and important on The New York Times front page. It's about doctors being paid ("rebates") to prescribe and administer anti-anemia drugs at unsafe levels for cancer and kidney patients.

According to the Times, "Critics, including prominent cancer and kidney doctors, say the payments give physicians an incentive to prescribe the medicines at levels that might increase patients' risks of heart attacks or strokes." I'm 3/8 of the way through chemo. I'm lucky so far -- I had borderline anemia before I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and my hematologist told me to take generic ferrous sulfate from the drug store. My hemoglobin counts are OK, as of Monday. I'm lucky, too, because this New York Times article is blasting out while my hemoglobin counts are OK. If the situation weren't so tragic I would enjoy this twisted quote:

"Johnson & Johnson said yesterday in a statement that its rebates were not intended to induce doctors to use more medicine. Instead, the rebates 'reflect intense competition' in the market for the drugs, the company said."

Of course we've all seen the suited-up, cart-pulling drug reps in doctor's waiting rooms. And I have in my possession two free packets of Prevacid from the chemo nurse-practitioner, to combat heartburn caused by the chemo. (Luckily, no nausea.) And the Prevacid worked. I heartily endorse it. But I never thought of money changing hands, only free samples being given out. Wasn't that naive? Because isn't receiving free prescription drugs the same as getting money? I'm talking about the doctors receiving the medicine. Not me. Because I'm innocent.

Oh, where does the slippery slope begin and end and am I standing on it?