Controversy on Sponsored Trips

Another (or the same) person has responded to my article on sponsored trips and voiced her displeasure over the matter. I have responded to her remark (please read the comment page on the article 'Sponsored Trip').

Perhaps I should not have written about this matter. Some people feel very strongly about it. I can understand their feelings. I feel strongly about some matters too.

The above author mentioned that how come pharmaceutical companies chose to sponsor me instead of some MOs (medical officers). She remarked that it's because MOs have no purchasing power and cannot get a drug into the blue book.

Now for those who are ignorant, the blue book is the coverted place for all pharmaceutical companies, at least in Malaysia. If your drug is listed in the blue book, it means that the Health Ministry has approved it for dispensing to the public and the government will be purchasing that particular drug from that particular company. I think it's safe to say that it's every drug rep's dream for their product to be listed in the blue book. Frankly, I don't know if the actual book is really blue in colour.

I believe the above author was under the illusion that I am a specialist or consultant; and that I have clout to get any drug into the blue book, and so that's why the pharmaceutical company wanted to sponsor me. The other matter she raised was that she "do not see other MOs being sponsored".

Let me clarify that she is wrong on both counts. In truth, I am a MO. By the grace of God, I passed my final exam last year and now am in the midst of doing my dissertation. God willing, I should complete my course at the end of this year. My blog personal profile says "Physican in the making". So, yes, technically I am still an MO. However, I perform the duties of a physician now in the hospital. It's part of the final year training in my course, so to equip us to be good physicians by the time we leave.

And as am MO, I do not have any clout nor purchasing power at all. In fact, as far as I know, in this hospital the only people who seem to have enough power or clout to get a drug into the blue book are the pharmacists! And UMMC being a semi-private institution, even if the drug gets into the blue book, the patients still have to pay for them, albeit at a subsidized fee.

As for sponsorship for other MOs, I am going to this conference along with nearly a third of the MOs working in my department; all sponsored by various pharmaceutical companies. And none of us have any clout.

Lets not see evil or badness in every action. Lets not generalise everyone. Lets not think all pharmaceutical companies think of is profit, profit and more profit. Lets not think everyone has a motive. For some one to think like that often, perhaps he or she has not really tasted any action just based on pure goodness and the wanting of the betterment of the another person.

Sometimes things are done out of pure goodness. I may be accused of justifying my accepting the sponsorship. I can't please everyone. There will always be people who disagree with how things are done.

For me, the buzz word is 'find out the whole truth, then speak your mind; and if some one disagree with you, then lets agree to disagree'. Life is too short to be cynical and bitter.