Henry Ford regulates pharma reps

The Henry Ford Health System is banning free lunches and gifts by pharmaceutical and medical equipment sales reps, starting January 1, according to the Detroit Free Press. Representatives will also have to schedule appointments with physicians and pay a $100 certification fee to Henry Ford before being allowed to do so.

"The evidence shows that when physicians are exposed to pharmaceutical representatives, their decisions are different," Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, a U-M drug price specialist, told the Detroit Free Press. "It is very unusual to find generic drugs in a physician's sample closet."

The program is portrayed as a way to keep industry in line, but I look at it as part of the maturation of the relationship between pharma and docs. Sales reps buy lunch and provide gifts because doctors want that to happen; many expect it as a kind of entitlement. It's just as well to have that practice end. I'd suggest Henry Ford use that $100/rep tax to fund an education program for physicians to help them get the most out of their interaction with drug reps. Maybe an online course to explain industry economics and help doctors ask the right questions.There are at least a couple of companies I can think of that could benefit from Henry Ford's decision:

• PreferredTime, which schedules rep appointments with physicians
• Medvantx, which makes machines that provide generic samples in doctors' offices