Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2852

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

Williamson PM.
How general practitioners assess risks in using new drugs.
J R Coll Gen Pract 1975 May; 25:(154):383-6

Abstract:

This paper considers the ways in which a group of general practitioners evaluate risks in the use of new drugs. It seems that under certain conditions, such as where the adoption represents little risk that the doctor is often willing to relinquish his or her personal evaluation and prescribe on the information provided by the drug company. Even in high risk situations the doctor numerically receives more commercial rather than professional sources, although in terms of influence one professional mention may equal several commercial exhortations.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/United Kingdom/primary care doctors/source of information/sales representatives/safety & risk information/sales representatives/new drugs/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS Drug Therapy/adverse effects* Family Practice Humans Probability* Risk*