M.D. for a Night

Last night, I went with my sister to a round-table discussion for doctors organized by Glaxo-Smith Kline.  It was held in C2 Events Place in Annapolis.  Well, let me tell you first that I got to attend because my sister was kind of "forced" to attend.  We were supposed to go to this restaurant with buffalo wings (oooh, buffalo wings...), but the med-rep convinced her to go and and that I can tag along.  So, there, I had to pretend to be a doctor and respond to being called "doktora" for several hours.  Wala nga akong recall e, tinatawag na pala ko, 'di pa ko sumasagot.  Haha!  

The food was goooooood!  They serve Filipino cuisine - there was salted egg with tomatoes, green mangoes with bagoong (to die for!), and grilled liempo.  Oh my, I tell you I ate a lot last night!  My plate was full, man. :)

Then, it's payback time.  I had to endure a talk about medicines, pneumonia, etc., with all sorts of medical jargons.   I couldn't have stomached the whole thing if not for the old, but very candid, lady doctor who led the talk.  She was an image of a woman made wise by time and experience that she commanded respect.  But please, don't let me get started with the med-rep who was in-charge of the crazed, ill-thought out group game.  Argh, she made me mad.

Anyway, I wouldn't say it was a complete waste of time.  I had free, yummy dinner, after all.  But I didn't like the whole idea of it - buy the doctors a sumptuous, expensive meal (or make that "beg the doctors to let you buy them dinner") to make them listen to an important talk (that's what the drug company claims, and if it's really objective, then I'm with them in saying that), and so in turn promote their brand.  I say, why don't you just sell the drugs for a lower price?  That is an advertisement in itself.  And that's helping the less fortunate at its best.  No, sending the doctors to posh resorts, or giving them a free trip to wherever, is not the way to show that you want to improve the lives of the masses.

Whoa, now I feel like a hypocrite!  Hmp, I could pay for that dinner, you know! =p