In no way is the gift ban intended to target the promotional products industry. This is a matter of improving patient care and controlling costs, plain and simple.

Gifts of all sizes impact prescribing decisions and patients suffer as a result. Numerous studies have found that even promotional products impact prescribing decisions. They serve as a reminder, or constant commercial (far from gentle), in the provider’s line of sight day after day, driving up name recognition. The continuous provision of these gifts also creates a friendship and sense of reciprocity. Doctors are not immune to this subtle influence as they themselves recognize. A survey published in the American Journal of Medicine found that 84% of doctors recognize the influence of gifts. As does the pharmaceutical industry. They give these gifts, not out of charity, but because they increase their bottom line. If they weren’t influential, they wouldn’t be given.

Nobody wants to see doctors going without hand soap. However, providers can and should purchase these items themselves. There is no need for them to come from the pharmaceutical industry or include ads.

Certainly the prevalence of direct-to-consumer ads is also concerning and must be addressed. Unfortunately, that is not a problem our state leaders can take action on. It must be addressed on the federal level. However, direct-to-consumer marketing and gifts to physicians go hand-in-hand. Drug companies coordinate the two types of advertising to make sure that providers are “cued” up to prescribe the drugs their patients are requesting.

We do not want to see the promotional products industry suffer and I hope you will be able to supplement any loss you face by working with other industries. However, the state must take action to protect patient care and to preserve access to health care.

While we all agree that health care costs need to be controlled, there is an apparent and obvious witch hunt directed towards the lowest rung on the proverbial totem pole – the promotional products industry. Promotional giveaways to doctors account for less than 10% of the overall marketing and advertising budgets of drug companies. Yet, the promotional products industry is regrettably the recipient of 90% of the grief and ridicule and is the fall guy for today’s high health care costs. What about the plethora of drug ads on all major television networks? have you ever watched the nightly network news programs? Drug commercials are all that are shown! What about the countless full page ads in every well known magazine that promotes prescription drug brands? Where is the legislative pressure to curtail these “excessive” spending practices of drug companies?

My company produces medically relevant hand care products for drug company promotions. Our bottles of liquid hand soaps and antiseptic hand rinses are of obvious benefit to the patient and the practice of medicine. PromoSoap pioneered this successful product line since the early 90′s. This has become our major source of revenue. A full and complete ban of all promotional products will put dozens of my employees on the unemployment line. Is this the unintended result of a no-compromise,unforgiving, total ban of promo products?

The day that our politicians stop using promotional products to promote their own election chances is the day drug companies should stop using promotional items as gentle brand reminders as well. Until then – stop whipping the promotional products industry as the bad guys.

Tighten things up. I’m all for it. But let’s be realistic. Common sense and logic should reign. Is there really a benefit to outlawing a private labeled bottle of hand soap intended for medical use? I think not.