I am confused.
![\"prisoner.guard460.276\"](\"http://distractible.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/prisonerguard460276.jpg\")
I got a letter in the mail from American Correctional Officer. The simple fact that I got a mailing from this organization piqued my interest (and mysteriously made me a touch nervous); but when I opened it, I was very surprised at the contents:
Dear Doctor:
As part of our approved physician network, you may see one or more of our members as patients. The American Correctional Officer is committed to providing physicians, as well as members and their families, with the most current information on prescription medications. As part of this commitment, we are pleased to provide you with this information regarding Fibromyalgia and LYRICA (pregabalin) Capsules CV. LYRICA is available to our members through their current health plan.
The letter goes on to explain to me what the symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, as well as the American College of Rheumatology criteria for diagnosis of this disorder. It also informs me that LYRICA is the only agent approved for the management of Fibromyalgia. Finally, there is a full PI for the drug enclosed along with the letter.
Now, I may just be an overly-suspicious kind of guy, but it seems odd that an organization for prison guards would be so interested in the Fibromyalgia treatment of their members. I do actually take care of prison guards, and do not recall Fibromyalgia being epidemic in this population. Wouldn\’t it make sense to go after a costlier disease such as diabetes or heart disease? What makes the ACO so keen on Fibromyalgia?
I also do not recall ever receiving other bits of educational material from the American Correctional Officer organization. If they are committed to providing me valuable information (because I may take care of their members), why have they not sent me anything else? Besides, why would I find this organization a trustworthy source of information on disease. It may come as a surprise, but the American Correctional Officer is not the first place I would turn to when I have questions about how to treat disease.
So what\’s up? It\’s obvious. Pfizer has some sort of deal with this organization to send out letters to physicians with the letterhead of the American Correctional Officer. This makes it much more likely that I would read it and perhaps think about LYRICA for my next Fibromyalgia patient (which is extremely unlikely to be a correctional officer). What does the ACO get out of it? I am not sure, but I suspect they are not doing it out of the kindness of their heart.
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What\’s next? Will I get a letter from the Circus Workers Union to promote prostate health? Will I get a phone call from the Fraternal Order of Police (during dinner) reminding me to lower cholesterol using Lipitor? Bob Dole promoting Viagra? No wait, they did that one.
At least the American Correction Officer could have gotten Martha Stewart to be their spokesperson.
I hear she has Fibromyalgia.
But Martha Stewart isn’t a prison guard.
But Martha Stewart isn’t a prison guard.
I had to laugh when I read this – as a Pfizer rep (2 of them, actually) came into our office wanting to see the doctor I work for….and they sat there….and sat there.
The doctor I work for came out to get the next patient’s file – the reps tried to get a few minutes of his time – he politely said, “Sorry, I have patients waiting” and proceeded to give the next patient the full 1/2 hour they have paid for….(I work for a psychiatrist). Yeah, doc! This is why I LOVE working for this man!
I had to laugh when I read this – as a Pfizer rep (2 of them, actually) came into our office wanting to see the doctor I work for….and they sat there….and sat there.
The doctor I work for came out to get the next patient’s file – the reps tried to get a few minutes of his time – he politely said, “Sorry, I have patients waiting” and proceeded to give the next patient the full 1/2 hour they have paid for….(I work for a psychiatrist). Yeah, doc! This is why I LOVE working for this man!
Befriending prison gaurds… hmmm… someone’s planning ahead! 🙂
Befriending prison gaurds… hmmm… someone’s planning ahead! 🙂
Weirdness.
Weirdness.
BIzarre.
BIzarre.
It worked… not only did you open the letter, but you blogged about it… and I read your blog, and couldn’t resist commenting! Pretty effective… Sigh.
It worked… not only did you open the letter, but you blogged about it… and I read your blog, and couldn’t resist commenting! Pretty effective… Sigh.
Amazing, and really sicko!Please send a copy to the Governor of whatever state it came from and ask him about it. Also send a copy to the AMA and/or state medical organizations.
It should not be too hard to trace this to it’s source, and whoever did it needs some disciplinary action.
Not quite practcing without a license, but a serious threat to inmates health if this is what they are after (and I doubt that)
Pfizer should be on the carpet and publish a retraction for tihs.
I would even report this to the FDA and/or the attorney general of the state.
If you don’t have time to do it, I will
Besides Lyrica is very expensive and it has a number of s erious side effects that I would not want a prison guard to have while on duty.
Nothing will surprise me anymore.
Amazing, and really sicko!Please send a copy to the Governor of whatever state it came from and ask him about it. Also send a copy to the AMA and/or state medical organizations.
It should not be too hard to trace this to it’s source, and whoever did it needs some disciplinary action.
Not quite practcing without a license, but a serious threat to inmates health if this is what they are after (and I doubt that)
Pfizer should be on the carpet and publish a retraction for tihs.
I would even report this to the FDA and/or the attorney general of the state.
If you don’t have time to do it, I will
Besides Lyrica is very expensive and it has a number of s erious side effects that I would not want a prison guard to have while on duty.
Nothing will surprise me anymore.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that they don’t represent correctional officers at all…..
With all of the lobbying groups I’ve heard about over the last few years who really don’t represent the people they claim to (i.e. an org called “farmers against pesticides” would really be run by a company who makes organic pesticides, and have no members that were actually farmers).
Would it really surprise you if Pharma caught on and started their own groups like this, promoting their products?
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that they don’t represent correctional officers at all…..
With all of the lobbying groups I’ve heard about over the last few years who really don’t represent the people they claim to (i.e. an org called “farmers against pesticides” would really be run by a company who makes organic pesticides, and have no members that were actually farmers).
Would it really surprise you if Pharma caught on and started their own groups like this, promoting their products?