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A economic research study shows that oncologists’ prescribing habits change after they’ve been visited by pharmaceutical sales reps — and it also shows the changes do not extend patients’ lives.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Pharmaceutical company reps have been visiting doctors for decades to tell them about the latest drugs. But how does the practice affect patients? A group of economists tried to answer that question. NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin reports.

SYDNEY LUPKIN, BYLINE: When drug company reps visit doctors, it usually includes lunch or dinner and a conversation about a new drug. These interactions are tracked as payments to physicians, and they work. That is, doctors prescribe about 5% more oncology drugs following a visit from a pharmaceutical representative. That’s according to a new study published by …

Carrie Lester looks forward to the phone call every Thursday from her doctors’ medical assistant, who asks how she’s doing and if she needs prescription refills. The assistant counsels her on dealing with anxiety and her other health issues.

Lester credits the chats for keeping her out of the hospital and reducing the need for clinic visits to manage chronic conditions including depression, fibromyalgia and hypertension.

“Just knowing someone is going to check on me is comforting,” says Lester, 73, who lives with her dogs, Sophie and Dolly, in Independence, Kansas.

At least two-thirds of Medicare enrollees have two or more chronic health …