Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1873

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

McKinney WP, Schiedermayer DL, Lurie N, Simpson DE, Goodman JL, Rich EC.
Attitudes of internal medicine faculty and residents toward professional interaction with pharmaceutical sales representatives.
JAMA 1990 Oct 3; 264:(13):1693-7

Abstract:

We surveyed faculty and residents from seven hospitals affiliated with three academic internal medicine training programs about their perceptions of the informational and service benefits vs the risks of ethical compromise involved in interactions with pharmaceutical sales representatives. Questionnaires were returned by 467 (81%) of 575 physicians surveyed. Residents and faculty generally had somewhat negative attitudes toward the educational and informational value of detailing activities at their institutions but indicated that representatives supported important conferences and speakers. Residents were more likely than faculty to perceive contacts with sales representatives as potentially influencing physician decision making. Sixty-seven percent of faculty and 77% of residents indicated that physicians could be compromised by accepting gifts. More than half of the physicians who suggested that such compromise was possible indicated that acceptance of gifts worth more than +100 from drug companies would be likely to compromise a physician’s independence and objectivity. A majority of both faculty and house staff favored eliminating presentations by pharmaceutical representatives at their hospitals. Only 10% thought they had had sufficient training during medical school and residency regarding professional interaction with sales representatives.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/United States/attitude toward promotion/physicians in training/internists (physicians)/sales representatives/hospitals/quality of prescribing/gift giving/relationship between physicians in training and industry/relationship between medical profession and industry/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: PHYSICIANS IN TRAINING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: PHYSICIANS IN TRAINING/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DETAILING Adult Attitude of Health Personnel* Drug Industry* Ethics, Medical Faculty, Medical* Female Humans Internal Medicine* Internship and Residency* Interprofessional Relations* Male Middle Aged Questionnaires Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Adult Attitude of Health Personnel* Drug Industry* Ethics, Medical Faculty, Medical* Female Humans Internal Medicine* Internship and Residency* Interprofessional Relations* Male Middle Aged Questionnaires Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't