random thoughts for today...

As the title suggests, this post will include some random things I have had rattling in my head for a while.

Since I turned 26 this year and pretty much have only a receding hairline and expanding waistline to look forward to, I've been contemplating thoughts of getting old. Here are some tell-tale signs you're not a kid anymore:
1. You listen to National Public Radio while driving to and from work and you LOVE it!
2. You hate when it snows because all you can think about is how much it is going to suck driving to work and those lazy kids who get the day off.
3. You're all about going out for a beer with the guys, but instead of heading out at 10pm like in college, you'd rather have your butt in bed by 10:30pm.
4. You know what a 401(K) is and you spend Saturday mornings (when you're not in the hospital of course), "checking your portfolio."
5. Getting up at 8am on your day off is sleeping in.
6. You notice how curtains actually DO make your windows look better.


If you've ever had the misfortune to see me get riled up about the utter debacle that is our health system, then you have undoubtedly heard me rail on the cozy relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. Recently there was an article in The New York Times about a doctor who, for 1 year, spoke on behalf of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to promote Effexor - a medicine for depression. The catharsis provided to the author is evident in the pages. Read it HERE.
There is also a great article in the medicine section of the Public Library of Science by a former drug rep detailing the tactics he and other drug reps use to 'befriend' docs. It was quite revealing and I already was a huge skeptic! I was surprised to learn that the American Medical Association - an organization I belong to - sells information from their database that allows 3rd party corporations to match physicians to the exact number and type of medications prescribed. Sounds innocent enough, but this information is then bought by drug companies to track the prescribing habits of doctors. The article makes the assertion that the AMA made $44 million in 2005 from selling this data. Absolutely deplorable. I will be canceling my membership. That article is HERE.