Zaenal Abidin, President Indonesian Doctors Association
Illegal payments exist, but the numbers are not significant
It cannot be denied that some kind of 'agreement' exists between doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the sale and marketing of drugs. It's not unusual for a doctor 'tied' to a pharmaceutical company to prescribe unnecessary products to patients, such as antibiotics and vitamins. "In fact, sometimes it's enough to advise patients to rest and eat regularly in order to get better," said Zaenal Abidin, president of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI).
When Tempo visited Abidin at the IDI headquarters in Central Jakarta three weeks ago, he admitted there were doctors who 'flirted' with pharmaceutical companies, even though the consequences can be quite harsh in some cases, such as the revocation of their medical licenses.
November 3, 2015
It cannot be denied that some kind of 'agreement' exists between doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the sale and marketing of drugs. It's not unusual for a doctor 'tied' to a pharmaceutical company to prescribe unnecessary products to patients, such as antibiotics and vitamins. "In fact, sometimes it's enough to advise patients to rest and eat regularly in order to get better," said Zaenal Abidin, president of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI
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