mich and la texican
Actually, it was part of a 96? 97? intensive lobbying effort by the pharmaceutical industry in response to generics. They wanted it to produce exactly what happened - patients walking into dr's office asking for name brand drugs and believing that the name brand is different/better than the generic. With some people and some meds there are issues of fillers being different but in reality most of this is about profit. With also set up a fascinating tension between insurers and pharma in fighting for protections from Congress.
Mich is right that it is very complicated because it is now much easier to learn about drugs. It definitely gives patients the ability to challenge dr's choices, which as we know now are very much influenced by pharma marketing to them. Studies show even a dr's acceptance of pens and paper, not just trips to the Bahama's influence the choice to prescribe. But fundamentally, the initial bill was about the loss of income when big moneymaking drugs come off patent protection.
DeHe
