Re: Gerd and Probiotics

grandma2pkmh · ‎08-04-2013

@granddi I believe you are incorrect about doctors receiving kickbacks. Look at this website and enter your doctors name. He/she may not be there but others are.

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/

NickNack · ‎03-10-2010

@grandma2pkmh wrote:
@granddi I believe you are incorrect about doctors receiving kickbacks. Look at this website and enter your doctors name. He/she may not be there but others are.

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/

@grandma2pkmh Interesting website. My doctor is there, but it's not for a large amount of money. It's all for "food and drink" except for $7 for "education." The amounts for Food and Drink are all under $15.

The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau

ThinkOutsidetheBox · ‎01-23-2011

I wonder how you find kickback info on the docs for years from 2016 to the present?

NickNack · ‎03-10-2010

@ThinkOutsidetheBox wrote:
I wonder how you find kickback info on the docs for years from 2016 to the present?

@ThinkOutsidetheBox I truly do not believe doctors get kickbacks. From the website posted, everything that I saw was for food and drink. My BIL used to be a pharmaceutical representative, and he would take lunches to different doctor's offices sometimes. That seems to be what was under my doctor's names. It lists the drug company's names and the amount (usually under $15) and what it is for (food & drink in my doctor's case).

The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau

granddi · ‎03-16-2010

@grandma2pkmh wrote:
@granddi I believe you are incorrect about doctors receiving kickbacks. Look at this website and enter your doctors name. He/she may not be there but others are.

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/

I said I agreed that they did not receive any cash back because that would be unlawful. The rewards are not kickbacks and I never used the term or implied the term.

I said there are other ways that drs receive thank you money.

One way that I did not mention is speaking fees and consulting fees. Doc speaks to a peer group and is sponsored by a certain company. Yes, he/she acknowledges the speaking fee and expenses. These spiffs are not just drug companies but medical materials such as artifical joints or expensive equipment.

Companies host elaborate parties at conventions and seminars. Most often the company will be a sponsor of a meeting at gold, silver, bronze level. Drs are encouraged to support the sponsors.

These are not bad things. But companies pay for access to those who will be making decisions about purchasing equipment, supplies and writing Rx. Doctors who take the spiffs are not bad doctors and are not doing anything unlawful. As you see from the site mentioned, many docs have disclosures.

I just wanted to make the point that there are outside influences trying in persuade drs to Rx a certain way, purchase certain equipment or other medical devices.

The same thing occurs in other professions. Educators are leaned on heavily to purchase from various vendors for classroom materials. If you have ever been to a trade show you know the drill.

Mindy D · ‎05-23-2010

@FlowerBear wrote:
I read all over the net about probiotics and how they help with gerd. So i ask my familly dr recently and he says nope, no help. Makes me wonder if what he says is true or if the drs get money from meds they push?

It helps me. I started eating yogurt, which was recommended on many highly respected medical gastroenterology sites for gastritis with gerd. I also cut out all added salt. Also recommended. I stopped eating anything that I can’t thoroughly chew, such as chicken skin and potato skin. I have some chewing problems. I cut back to two cups of coffee a day and switched to a much lower acid, smoother blend, McDonalds Coffee, from the grocery store. Switched from Duncan Donuts from the grocery store. I add 4 Oz.milk per 8 Oz. Cup. No coffee after 11:00 A.M. I’ve always slept with many pillows so my chest and head are elevated. I avoid foods with added citric acid. Natural citrus foods do not bother me, nor does added lemon juice. Ascorbic acid, vitamin C, doesn’t bother me either. I don’t eat anything with carrageenan in it. No chocolate after 630 P.M., No mint after 6:00 P.M. I do have rare reflux from eating vanilla ice cream at night. No gastric pain though. I try to eat the ice cream wax many hours before sleep as I can. Both of these come right back up as soon as I lie down. My improvement is so dramatic. I’m off all stomach meds after years and years.

Reever · ‎03-14-2010

It was recommended to me that I drink Kefir. A nurse practioner said it contains many good things for the gut. I also told to consume turmeric. I sprinkle some on my food and also take 500 mg of Trader Joe's turmeric.

ThinkOutsidetheBox · ‎01-23-2011

Those ARE kickbacks. And you can bet if drug companies are paying for a doc's food and drink for any reason, there is some remuneration changing hands out of site somewhere too. Doctors absolutely get compensated by drug companies. This is not news. It has been reported on for many years and known about by savvy patients for far longer. Drug companies do not give medical offices free samples out of the goodness of their hearts. If you are a doc and you let a drug company give you free drug samples in large quantities, gifts, pay for your food and drink at any time, or give you any other type of compensation, then you have lost your independent objectivity and cannot be trusted to be completely impartial. Period. I do not know what kind of world we are living in now that common word and action meanings are being rewritten from what they have meant for centuries if not millenia. It seems there are those who want things to mean something totally in their own favor so they say that now "this" means "that" (instead of what "this" has always meant) and that is what I say so it is true. Bizarre.

When I was in the military, we were trained to understand that as a military member, you could not ask for any favors from anyone because even the hint of impropriety could call into question your honor and loyalty to your country. Even accepting military discounts was frowned upon. You were certainly encouraged to never ask for them. That was just in the 80's and 90's so we have fallen quite far IMHO when people actually turn a blind eye to quid pro quo of any kind because they think it benefits their particular need or cause.