A federal watchdog agency recently issued an unusual warning to the pharmaceutical industry to avoid using kickbacks – specifically under the guise of so-called speaker programs – to entice doctors to write more prescriptions. The Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services strongly advised drug makers to think twice before rewarding high-prescribing doctors with speaking engagements and conditioning those talks on payments that include prescribing targets. The agency also warned against holding programs at venues that are not conducive to education such as high-priced restaurants, wineries or golf clubs.