How much does your psychiatrist meet with Big Pharma?

I work in Mental Health, on the Compliance side (not the medical side), and I'd love to talk to you today about a really cool tool available to you, as a patient (in the USA only). It's called the Open Payments Database https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

The Open Payments Database lets you, as a member of the public, see just which pharmaceutical reps your doctor is meeting with, how frequently, and what drugs are being discussed. If you've ever wondered about why your doctor might be pushing certain medications over others, consider that they are getting paid to do so.  

This database has information on doctors of all specialties as well as Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners.

No, they aren't necessarily getting paid in cash or check, but rather in FOOD. These pharmaceutical reps come to your doctor's office with large food orders and do a "lunch and learn" to share information about their drugs.

Yes, Gus from Psych was a Pharma Rep. No, they're not always sleazy, they're just in sales and trying to do what they can to promote the drugs that their company sells.

That said, you should check to see if your doctor is getting a LOT of lunch - maybe more than the average. Especially if they're an individual provider or in a smaller clinic where it really doesn't make sense for them to see the same pharmaceutical company over and over, week after week.

In the end, does a few dozen salads and sandwiches make them corrupt? Probably not! But it may influence their prescribing patterns - potentially leading to them suggest a drug that may not be right for you. 

Either way, it's always in your interest to know what's going on.

I wish you success in your mental health journey!