Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15229

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Islam MS, Farah SS.
Characteristics and Reliability of Online References Cited in the Pharmaceutical Promotional Brochures of Bangladesh
eHealth International Journal 2008 Jan; 4:(1):1-5
http://www.ehealthinternational.org/vol4num1/Vol4Num1p01.pdf

Abstract:

Medical information found in the online sources is not often reliable because of lack of proper substantiation of sources. However, such information is commonly used in the drug promotional brochures as references in many countries worldwide. The main purpose of this exploratory study was to evaluate the characteristics and reliability of online sources of information cited in the pharmaceutical promotional brochures in Bangladesh. Online sources of information presented in the conveniently collected drug promotional brochures were separated from other citations and were accessed for required information in the present study. The reliability of the online sources cited in those brochures was assessed using a short checklist based on five basic questions adopted from available and authentic literatures. A total of 53 online references from 50 pharmaceutical promotional brochures were obtained during the study. Sponsors of most (94.87%) of the online sources were recognizable. The majority (n=27, 72.97%) of the accessible online sources were found to be commercial websites. Only 27.03% (n=10) citations were adopted from reliable websites. Contact information was absent in about 31% websites. E-mail was used in about 87% of cases as the main address for correspondence. Nearly 72% websites did not provide any information about the timeline regarding the updates of contents. Information contained in a significant number (38%) of websites seemed ‘too good to be true’. Online references used in the pharmaceutical promotional brochures of Bangladesh failed to comply with the basic requirement of reliability..

Notes:

Free full text