Another thing I don't really like is the attitude most of the Dragons have. Of course since they are investing money into your company they have to do their due dilligence. However some of their attitude is definitly harsh, and they seem to want to invest in a winner (well of course it is their money) but if the person's buisness is already doing so well why would they need you (Dragon's money I mean)? All my time watching I haven't actually seen a clear cut "winner" who was wasting his time on the show, a lot of "grey" for the Dragon to sift through.

I'm interested in the "JobLoft" guys and how good they are doing. I think they got $200,000 for 51%. Don't see them as big as Workopolis so who knows.

They didn't get what they were asking for ($400k for a 15% share), but they did put on a good presentation. The big problem seemed to be that the dragons didn't agree that their business was worth over $2.6 million.

I think the thing with the show is that (a) you don't have to pay the money back (it's an investment, not a loan) and (b) you get one or more of these five accomplished businesspeople as a partner (which is worth quite a bit to your business.) So it's not quite like just going to the bank.

That said, there are people with ideas that are poorly thought-out that are hoping for free money. (They often leave saying "they'll regret this when I'm a millionaire.") Which, admittedly, is half the fun of watching.

How'd that go? Couldn't people just get a bank loan or something, instead of going on Dragon's Den? Most people are only asking for $100,000, that's less then a house loan! Well since I don't know their whole financial situations (the people appearing on Dragon's Den) so maybe getting even a $100,000 is hard for them. Just my 2 cents on the show.

Actually, Anish was raving about that a few years ago. And the three emerg docs behind it were on Dragon's Den a little while ago trying to get investment to expand their market.

okay, do you think this was done in all seriousness, or could they possibly have known what they were doing?

Yeah, after the I made the video, I wished I had talked about a system that seems to be built for prescriptions, and how the more drugs we have, the fewer doctors we need, and then the fewer doctors we have, the more drugs we need. And if I don't have experience, I can't find a job, and if I don't have a job, I can't get experience... I rushed it without fully fleshing it out. I'm too busy for quality. I of course also failed to mention the positive impact that drugs have. Which is of course, considerable.

As for the free sample thing, I actually mentioned to Andy when we were making it that I am glad that doctors get the free samples, because after my heart went apeshit, they gave me a pill to take home, instead of a prescription. Why I brought it up, is that if doctors are giving out these samples, there's more of a chance that those particular drugs will be prescribed later, because they have experience with them. It's not so much bribing the doctors, as it is bribing the health system.

And advertising birth control pills is the worst, because it makes taking them "cool", and any teenage girl who goes on the pill will be "mature" and "unique" and "respected by men". This is over and above what other drug advertising does.

to give an example of the bribery/infiltration of drug companies over common sense, one could say, ... Par's comments made me remember a doctor at the Campus Health Centre. I think I went in for a head cold or something, but it was VERY OBVIOUS that he was going to push birth control on any woman that walked in there. He had posters for five different birth control pill brands, those circular cycle/pregnancy calendar thingies, something else really blatantly "buy our birth control pill" like a diorama or some such thing and *marvelon brand stirrup covers. That entire office/exam room screamed "YOU SHOULD BE ON THE PILL" and I think he even asked me... despite ... oh! right, I went in because my knee was killing me. So... go in for some help with persistent joint pain and get the "are you sexually active? are you on any form of birth control?" talk.

it may seem odd, but I always feel strange when male doctors push the pill on me. and I typically get my back up when any doctor pushes drugs at me.

well done again boys andy and lisac!
Although I did want to see more Rick Mercer vision

Really? There's nothing about lazy IT dorks in it...

It's on Youtube. Lazy IT dorks are implied.

Seriously, how do you feel about the pharmaceutical aspect of your career? I didn't actually consult any doctor types about this...

Before I answer this, I have a minor quibble about your video. Yes, doctors get free samples of prescription drugs, but it's rarely the doctor that is taking advantage of that service. The free sample most often ends up in the hands of a patient (at least, from what I've seen.)

As for the systematic bribery aspect of medicine, I have to say first of all that I don't know what impact it has on practices. From what I've seen, prescription choices in the office are based at least as much on what the patient's drug plan will pay for. Other factors (e.g. the first-line beta blocker that my preceptor tries with patients is the once-a-day pill, purely because it's easier to stay with a pill that's once-a-day than twice-a-day) play a role as well.

That said, there's definitely an impact on prescribing even when you aren't the direct beneficiary of the "benefits." A drug I've had to read up about this weekend is Spiriva, which has become a first-line choice in the treatment of mild-to-moderate COPD. One wonders how many pulmonologists got trips from Pfizer before that happened.

It must have a direct impact as well, though, otherwise these companies wouldn't be doing it -- they're not about to throw money at doctors if there's no return. From my own short experience so far, I know my preceptor has stopped any visits from drug reps to his office, but he is a sadly uncommon model of that kind of integrity.

That's the short version. (The long version goes into my problems systemically with how our health care system creates incentives for certain styles of practice, and pushes doctors who want to make a living to easier, less counselling-intensive solutions to medical problems. It's a rant that keeps building as time goes on.) I haven't really thought about it much, but I'm sure I'll have to make some decisions about my own approach to drug reps sooner or later.

know what's annoying?

when you invite people over, go through the effort of tidying the place up, and baking cookies, and NOBODY comes. I am unimpressed.