If the lunch comes with a medication spruik by a top 6 Master-Chef Contestant then is the sell-out worth it?
Possibly.
Alvin has a PhD in biochemistry and comes from the science dept. of Astra-Zeneca. As a science bloke he can talk about off-label prescribing (research into using a medication for an illness not covered in its current PBS + or - TGA indications). Our friendly (and lunch-bearing) sales rep is not supposed to talk off-label.
So Alvin gave a teuously linked talk about anxiety and being on Master Chef. He recommended taking a little S-----l XR to cope with performance anxiety on the show.
I hope he was joking....
Seriously, the impact of drug company involvement and visits are subtle. I hope I don't prescribe on the basis of who talked medication with me last or who made me feel good. But the evidence, discussed here, and reported here, is that I do. Drug companies spend money this way because it works.
We have a lunch to get registrars together. People come if there is food, and we want them there to give an opportunity for support and feedback in a stressful job. I am trying to think of some ways to get food there but not be unduly influenced.
