My brother's a grad student in cancer research, so he scores most food from lectures and presentations and whatnot. Though his boss'll drop by with meals brought direct to her office too (she "owns" several labs and scary amounts of grant money, so pharmaheavily courts her. ) She's crazy, but she shares.

I thought it was just salad.

It may be. I don't have any actual knowledge. I just have an internet connection and episodes of QI.

Is she completely hetrosexual now?

Different rehab. She's now no longer homophobic.

We provide a water cooler, coffee, microwave popcorn (our office) or fruit (Minneapolis office). Also a pizza meal for everyone once per quarter.

We provide [...] microwave popcorn

That'd make me feel like the biggest party pooper ever. Still haven't found a brand of microwave popcorn whose smell isn't a migraine trigger.

When I lived in Seattle I was in a study where I had to eat salmon at every meal.

Oh my gawd. That's hilarious. And...uhg.

My brother does a lot of these things. The only one that was really problematic was the one where he didn't notice that they'd need him in the hospital overnight on his wedding anniversary. That's really the only one that was any danger to his health. Cause his wife about killed him.

Every time I go to my migraine specialist

Have you gone recently? If so, did you mention the drug treatment I found?

t /mom-ish

we have cooler bottle water, hot water for tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. Sugar Free Hot Chocolate no less! Also, regular and marshmallow hot chocolate. I like the sugar free because there's like no difference in taste and I don't feel quite so guilty about it.

Also, occasional leftover food from lunches, and the occasional provided breakfast or whatnot.

Big Pharma hands out much more than free food. They fly physicians to resorts for the weekend, so that they can hear a 10 minute "information sesssion" on their drugs. They fly researchers to the same resort and pay them $10,000 to provide the 10 minute information session.

They'll even write your scientific papers for you. You don't have to design the study or collect any data or analyze the data or interpret the results. All you have to do is put your name down as the author, with the comforting legitimacy of your university's name coming along with you. They manipulate every aspect of health research, and the quality of health care is compromised because of it.

I heard a rumour that pharmaceutical sales reps were all really pretty. Every time I go to my migraine specialist there are tons of nattily dressed people lugging rolling suitcases who look suspiciously goodlooking--so far I haven't seen any reps who disprove this theory.

Pharma sales reps are attractive for the same reason they show up with free food -- it improves their chances of having a doctor actually show up to meet with them.