I had a “duh” moment, and after a chat with Sheta found myself promoted into a formal title at Rending the Veil. My suggestion had been “Assistant in Charge of Stuff” – all I wanted was a psychological seed to help me be better at promoting what I consider to be a very well-done site and valuable resource for energy workers (or as termed there, “magicians”). Her version is “Assistant Managing Editor” – which means I am in charge of stuff. :)
I’ve contributed a few articles, a series on Nontheistic Energy Work, which have received appreciative reviews; but I find that writing such things is not my strong point. So I am happy to have another capacity in which to be helpful; and Sheta, now Editor-in-Chief in title as well as actuality, is not only an easy, open person to work for and with, but a real professional with a wealth of wisdom and fascinating experiences and perspectives.
We are working on RTV logo products to be featured with the next issue August first; we also will be presenting a new feature, an almanac, with art by Sheta and dates compiled by yours truly. And of course, another short story by C.A. Broz, continuing the Quasiverse tales, as well as articles from those authors of magic theory and practice that have helped establish RTV as the quality publication it is.
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Last Sunday saw another fun afternoon of drumming, hooping, and socializing, courtesy of Eclectic Vibez. Though there wasn’t as large a turn-out as last month, great vibes were had by all.
You don’t want to miss the next one – check out their website or MySpace page for more info, and come join the fun!
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It’s a small step, but a step in the right direction:
Finally, before the Feds are forced to take action, the pharmaceutical industry agreed to regulate itself regarding gifts from its sales reps to physicians.
Also, some physicians had the same idea, pledging to refuse all logo-emblazoned giveaways including pens and tissue boxes, in an effort to reduce the perception (rightly acquired) that the pharmaceutical companies have an unhealthy influence on American healthcare practices.
Walk into almost any doctor’s office, and chances are you’ll see clocks, mousepads, tissue boxes, pens, notepads, and a plethora of other “giveaways” scattered about, each with the logo of a manufacturer or the latest drug they’re pushing. Some doctors insist these items have no effect on their prescribing habits, but my own experience quietly calls “bullshiat” on that.
Ganked article
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Hitchcock Would Be Proud
Blackbird singing “you’ll be dead tonight…”
Man goes biking. Bird goes striking. Man falls down, breaks his crown, and police go fumbling after.
Wait, what?
Read more
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New pharma ethics rules eliminate gifts and meals
By MARLEY SEAMAN, AP Business Writer Fri Jul 11, 5:28 AM ET
NEW YORK – Drug company sales representatives will have to stop doling out coffee mugs and pens that push their products when they visit doctor’s offices. But they can still sneak in the occasional free lunch.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America announced Thursday that it has revised its conduct code for interacting with health care professionals. The updated guidelines ban the knicknacks bearing company and product logos.
Sales representatives are prohibited from providing restaurant meals and entertainment or recreation. But they can still provide the occasional, modest meal in a healthcare professional’s office “in conjunction with informational presentations,” according to a statement from PhRMA.
The updated code also emphasizes that drug companies should separate any funding they provide for continuing medical education from their sales and marketing departments. It notes that the funding should support education “on a full range of treatment options and not to promote a particular medicine.”
PhRMA said meetings between sales representatives and doctors should be focused on informing health care professionals about products, sharing scientific and educational information and supporting research and education.
The new rules take effect Jan. 1.
The association represents pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and is made up of executives from companies in the industry. Its CEO, Billy Tauzin, said he hopes the code additions will create “more credible” standards for doctor-sales rep interactions.
“I don’t think you’ll find a physician who will acknowledge that the gift of a pen or a cup with a company’s name on it influences their prescribing patterns,” he said. “But there are people who believe that, and as long as that’s a perception out there we felt we ought to end that.
Tauzin said his association got conflicting reactions from doctors about whether to eliminate the free lunches, but he noted doctors are free to stop the meals themselves.
The trade association said in January that it was considering revisions to its 2002 code. Its executives said then that they’ve seen a backlash over sales and marketing practices.
Critics of these sales practices have included the nonprofit organization No Free Lunch, which is run by a New York-based internist. It urges medical school students to pledge that they’ll shun free gifts or meals from the drug industry.
No Free Lunch also promotes a pen amnesty program on its Web site, where it offers to replace with “no questions asked” drug company pens that doctors receive. It states that the pens will be “donated to a worthwhile cause.”
Sen. Herbert Kohl, D-Wisc., said in a statement that he was “encouraged by the industry’s attempt to clean up its act.” Kohl co-sponsored the Physician Payments Sunshine Act to create a national registry for payments doctors take from companies.
Dr. Brian Hurley, president of the American Medical Student Association, said the new rules are an improvement but they don’t go far enough. He said gifts given to doctors as educational materials or occasional meals are still gifts. “Aggressive” marketing practices have made drug companies a lot of money, he said, and they have little incentive to stop those tactics.
“Educational gifts or educational programming that pharma’s member companies put together are marketing in disguise,” he said.
Members of PhRMA are required to state their intention to comply with the code, and Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Amgen Inc., Eli Lilly & Co. AstraZeneca PLC and EMD Serono were among the companies that did so Thursday.
AstraZeneca said its U.S. representatives will not give doctors items including pens, pads of paper, hand soap and tissues as part of sales visits. The company said its sales representatives will still be able to offer educational items like teaching models if they “are not of substantial value.”
AstraZeneca said it will still support medical events for health care professionals through grants to independent providers, and the British company says it will not give any guidance about the content or faculty of those events and will provide no direct support for meals.
Lilly said in a separate statement that it will comply with or exceed the new guidelines. It said the revised code will help ensure “the information exchange with healthcare providers continues to be appropriate and ethical.”