"Sneeze Whisperer" Target Pharmacy Commercial

Take a look at this commercial promoting Target Pharmacists as a "sneeze-whisperer"...



Though pharmacists are very important healthcare professionals who are essential to the management and distribution of prescription drugs, patients need to be aware that pharmacists may be financially rewarded to encourage patients to use certain drugs and not others without regard to whether a given medication may be better or not health-wise.

In fact, in some cases, pharmacists may automatically switch certain prescriptions to an alternative without patient or physician knowledge. In other situations, pharmacists may call physician offices asking if it is OK to switch a prescribed medication to an alternative for one reason or another (again, possibly due to unclear financial incentives).

To be fair, in an effort to cut costs, pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) who oversee pharmacies including Target Pharmacy as well as pharmaceutical companies, offer various incentives to encourage (or persuade) not only pharmacists to choose certain drugs over another, but also patients and physicians.

Such persuasion include:
- Higher copays for the patient who may ASK a drug to be changed to a cheaper alternative.
- Prior authorizations which in essence is paperwork harassment for the physician who may be influenced to prescribe alternative medications just to avoid the paperwork.
- TV Commercials (yup... just like the commercial mentioned above) informing patients that THEIR drug is the best
- Rebate coupons
etc etc

So... before you start thinking a Target Pharmacist is a true "sneeze-whisperer", consider all the other competing whispers a pharmacist hears... Copays, incentives, rebate coupons, patients, doctors, drug reps, PBMs, etc.

It should be obvious, but did want to point out that pharmacists do not receive any advanced medical training in allergy unlike an allergist who has dedicated literally YEARS to the subject.

References:
The effect of pharmaceutical benefits managers: is it being evaluated? Ann Intern Med. 1996 May 15;124(10):906-13.

Economic impact of pharmacist-reimbursed drug therapy modification. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2011 Jan-Feb;51(1):58-64.

Drug Maker's Efforts to Compete in Lucrative Insulin Market Are Under Scrutiny. New York Times 1/28/2006