Investigation launched over drug company payments to senior NHS staff

[Clutter]

Just going to Google the definitions of bribe and facilitation payments

independent.co.uk/life-styl...

telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/11...

[Mauds]

Clutter the same has happened here in Ireland two top private hospitals staff were given holidays and presents for giving out patient info.

[Clutter in reply to Mauds]

Mauds, it sucks! How is it these people see no conflict of interest?

[Mauds in reply to Clutter]

I don't know it frightens me how much the big pharma companies can hold so much power with the medical professionals and we are the human equvilant of lab rats. We wonder why it takes us so long to get better. It's a joke clutter they should hang their heads in shame.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mauds]

I believe in the USA doctors get 'sweeteners'.

I also believe that prescribers should not be paid incentives just to prescribe certain medications.

There is now more transparencies but for instance if there is a cheaper generic you may be prescribed the dearer Brand when you'd be happy with a generic.

businessinsider.com/what-dr...

[Spareribs]

Other institutions that are funded by taxpayers' money, such as schools, tender out contracts and obtain 3 quotes for all items over £1000. Tighter controls are needed....

But the difference is that drugs can kill, & some don't work anyway...

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/...

[Clutter in reply to Spareribs]

Spare, most companies want three tenders, sadly most automatically choose the cheapest which isn't always best. This is different. These people are influencing what meds will be used across the NHS. They're kidding themselves, if not us, if they believe freebies don't influence their recommendations.

[Spareribs in reply to Clutter]

I agree, but industry has 'buyers' acting independently - "perks of the job"- but the NHS is spending public money and should be limited e.g. to have tenders (of course the cheapest option is not always the best, and not always chosen) but competitive choice isn't a bad idea.

I am very grateful for the NHS, & willingly pay my 12% every month - but IMHO they do fly this national flag of immunity. Who are the overseers??? The governing body??? The government??? - the same body investigating corruption???

Anyone can 'declare' an interest - and not vote - leaving it to others on the board to vote who have a similar interest - bit like Whist.

[Spareribs in reply to Spareribs]

not forgetting the NHS is the biggest UK employer & employers' NI rate of 13.8% is on topof ours (even if it's a taxpayer funded employer!!)

not ranting at you sweetie - just the nearest windmill! lol!

[Marz]

Double page spread in the Telegraph yesterday - will anything happen - I doubt it....too many snouts in the trough

[Hidden]

Why does that not surprise me... It's funny that, the other day my partner was livid with my endo and said, he probably has a lot money to lose if he don't prescribe Levo.

[veronica-howard]

s a retired teaching lawyer, I would advise every one on this site to look at wikaepedia's comments on glaxosmith kline case in 2013 when a prosecution was brought against them and rather that let the case go to full judgment they settled for a few billion pounds to the claimants. The full case is on that website. Conflict of interest is rife

[Lizzy1606]

Have you seen these articles about Big Pharma ,there are quite a few.Its just money to them .

naturalnews.com/Big_Pharma

[Zephyrbear]

How strange that both of these articles should mention epilepsy drugs... Both my husband and my daughter who have very similar sciatic nerve problems were told on separate occasions to take anti-convulsant drugs designed to treat epilepsy (Gabapentin for my daughter and Pregabalin for my husband). Neither of them did as just one run-through of the PIL was enough to scare the living daylights out of both of them. Even the common side effects (affecting at least 1 in 10 people) were seriously scary! Why anyone who actually needed to take these tablets would actually want to do so beats me, but there was no way either my daughter or husband were going to. In the end I told my hubby to try a TENS machine I'd bought for my eldest daughter when she was pregnant and he's been able to stop all extra medication since then.

[Clutter in reply to Zephyrbear]

Zephyrbear, looking at the side effects of some drugs it certainly looks as though the 'cure' may be worse than the disease. I'm glad the tens machine enabled your husband to come off meds.

[Zephyrbear in reply to Clutter]

Yes... but the really funny bit was that on the first day he used it (Sunday) he got up rather quickly after the cat jumped up on him it slipped out of his pocket, fell on the floor and broke... Thankfully we managed to get him a replacement yesterday!

[Clutter in reply to Zephyrbear]

Zephyr, it's almost as if your hubby's evil genie wants him in pain