Congress and others have been promoting the value of academic detailing as a way to reduce drug costs by promoting generic drugs. The New York City Department of Public Health has a better idea. The City has solicited help from pharmaceutical executives to design and execute a public health academic detailing campaign focusing on influenza and pneumococcal vaccine distribution and education, colon and rectal cancer screening and smoking cessation.
In the last 10 months, the City has spent nearly $900,000 on half a dozen detailing campaigns.
Rather than fighting industry to promote older cheaper drugs, the New York City Department of Public Health has come-up with a detailing plan that serves “the public.”
The proponents of academic detailing should learn from their colleagues in NYC. If your goal is promoting “public health,” then focus in those areas that will really make a difference and not just on campaigns to get doctors to write generic scripts. In the end, we will all be healthier for the effort.
The New York Times: Taking a Page, and a Pen, From Makers of Medicines