4. Doctors Can Be Influenced by Drug Companies

Some patients notice that certain doctors tend to push for particular brand names when prescribing medicines. Chances are, these doctors are being influenced by pharmaceutical firms through incentives in the form of money or travel in exchange for prescribing a particular drug. But not all doctors are influenced by drug firms this way.

Physicians may be unaware of the manipulations that drug companies do to their clinical trials and product literature. Because of this, doctors can mistakenly prescribe certain drugs in the belief that they are better than that of their competitors’.

Fortunately, doctors would be glad to prescribe cheaper, generic medicines for patients who ask for them. So if you feel that the medicines your doctor is prescribing you are too expensive, don’t be afraid to let him know.