"Drug company offered 'bribes' to doctors to boost sales": I don't see how that headline constitutes news to anyone with even just a passing familiarity with how this market works.
I know of doctors in a different country who get paid trips to conferences in the EU and elsewhere for prescribing certain pharmaceuticals over another pharma’s. It’s straight up pay for play. This behavior isn’t restricted to one bad pharma actor either.
My thoughts exactly. Situation in healthcare is utterly dismal. I see prescriptions of very expensive medicine where there are alternative brands (or generics) for a fraction of the price and when people complain (a serious percentage of the price comes off their pockets) doctors respond with vague mumble-mumble about that drug being a new generation.
Unfortunately, there are drugs where the generics don't work as well as the brand. Then it's tricky what to prescribe.
Indeed, incentives like travels, conferences, and gifts are part of all pharmaceutical companies marketing plan. It should become common knowledge to stand a chance to change.