'The news that patients may have to pay 10% more for their medication is a further kick in the guts to people with health problems' said Dr Tim Woodruff, NP DRS. 'The patients are being made to pay the cost of the Government's incompetence in managing the health budget' he said

'Something needs to be done to control the cost of medications. But the Government is not interested in doing the difficult things,' said Dr Woodruff. 'The pilot program to offer doctors money to prescribe cheaper drugs indicates the Governments priorities on where the problems lie are upside down'.

'Doctors prescribing habits are hugely influenced by the drug companies. They spend at least $750 million a year promoting their products to doctors, that's about $20,000 per doctor. Why? Because it works. They call it educating doctors. But it's mainly marketing,' said Dr Woodruff.

'If the Government is really interested in sorting out the presciption of the new and more expensive drugs where there are equally effective cheaper alternatives they would put a lot more into educating doctors. Doctors depend on the drug companies for information. But that information is tainted. We need to stop the drug industry from being such a huge source of information about drugs.'

'And that can be done cheaply because the savings will be huge. Even $250 million per year ie one third of what the drug companies spend, would have a huge impact on the influence of the drug companies on our prescribing habits. It would only cost one tenth of the wasteful private health insurance rebate. And it would save hundreds of millions'.

'The Government needs to stop making patients pay for the problem. It needs to stop blaming doctors for the problem. It needs to accept that it's own lack of control of drug companies marketing is a major part of the problem', said Dr Woodruff. 'But', he asked, 'does it have the courage?'

10 April, 2002

Dr Tim Woodruff
President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Peter Davoren
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

[ Doctors Reform Society of Australia home page ]
[ About DRS ] [ Site Index ] [ Search ] [ What's New ]
[ Policies ] [ Media Releases [ Published Letters ]
[ Current Issues: online articles ] [ New Doctor: Journal of the DRS ]
[ Discussion Board ] [ Contacting DRS ] [ Joining DRS ] [Jobs] [ Links ]