Haha you are kidding yourself if you think GSK is paying GP's cash and overseas holidays for anything, let alone Relenza :) The best you could hope for now is to get is a free dinner at a fancy restaurant while listening to 3 hrs of sales pitch with a boring powerpoint - never worth it. Cash? Never.
Further restrictions for these "incentives" have been put in place recently (incl. no free pens... *shock* I haven't bought a pen in 10yrs). Also remember, there is also no obligation to actually do anything after accepting a gift (like my free mouse pad for some drug I have never heard of and would never prescribe in my life, but damn the pad is smooth and I'm keeping it!).
Incentives aren't offered for anti-influenza drugs to Dr's - I assume they are all spent lobbying the governments instead. It is however dissapointing, that many GPs are not familiar with Relenza - a quick visit from a rep would definately rectify this, however this is not profitable as GP's don't have much choice about what is purchased by the government for stockpiles and their H1N1 Influenza Kit, and how that stockpile should be used (due to Health Department protocols).
You want free things? Be an orthopaedic surgeon - the amount of ridiculously expensive laser sculpted titanium plated shiny things they buy from the medical device companies means they are worth the incentives, GPs frankly are no longer regarded as being as profitable.
As you say, unfortunately only time will change the imbalance, due to the inherent delay in the system. Education of working doctors is delayed due to compulsory adherence to ever changing policy (hard enough to learn on it's own; no room for independent thought so why bother). Government policy on medication use is delayed as the massive investment required to stockpile can not be rapidly adjusted in accordance with new evidence.
And even implementing the flawed policies is delayed by poor preparation in other areas (eg. once recommending patient's go to GPs before hospital - however treatment would only be provided at Flu Clinics in hospital EDs, so the patient would infect everyone in two health care facilities instead of one, and waste time which may be critical in some cases. They also failed to provide most GPs with protective equipment).
Ok now enough... I could bitch about that for hours.
At least I know BTA will put a smile on my face when I look at my portfolio.
BTA Price at posting:
$2.93 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
