You know that docs have to participate in continuing medical education (CME). They are required to do this to maintain their license to practice.

I hope you know that this continuing medical education is underwritten heavily by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

I also hope you know these educational programs are held in Vail, South Beach, Napa Valley, and any other exotic location you can think of in the U.S.

Last year, big pharma spent from $1,2000,000,000 to $1,400,000,000.

But they are worried they may not be able to spend billions anymore to help “educate” physicians.

It seems that physicians are getting more of their training online.  Imagine that! They can take a couple hours in their office and learn, rather than taking a long weekend at an uber resort.

Online CME Taking Off!
Meanwhile, the number of physicians participating in online CME “events” has increased dramatically, especially in 2006 (see figure at left).

Approximately one quarter of physician participants in CME activities occur via the Internet. However, only about 5% of the total hours of instruction are delivered via the Internet.

This is bad news for the pharmaceutical industry. How can this be bad?

the more physicians that get CME credits online, the less likely they are to attend live events where collateral marketing can easily occur.

“Collateral marketing” is code for FREE GIFTS. I’m not talking about note pads or pens. Docs can take home $800 in free gifts.  That’s in addition to free lodging, ski lift tickets, luxury suites, fine wine, and gourmet meals.

The pharma marketers are laughing at us for being such suckers.

It could cost so little that physicians may actually be enticed to pay for it themselves rather than accept pharma’s charity and possible influence over the content! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! If you think that will happen, please see www.brooklynbridgeforsale-cheap.com

They view their attempt to get docs to prescribe their drugs as “charity” and cocky that they can continue to influence content (read slant the education in their favor.)

The movie Sicko is now available to rent in your local video store. Rent it.

It’s time for pharma marketing in the disguise of “education” to go away.

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