Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4129

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

Williams AP, Cockerill R.
Report on the 1989 survey of the prescribing experiences and attitudes toward prescription drugs of Ontario physicians
1990;

Abstract:

Physicians report that they attended about three profession-sponsored seminars and two continuing medical education courses in the two years before the survey. In comparison, the average physician attends roughly twice as many industry-sponsored seminars about prescription drugs as seminars sponsored by the profession and has extensive contacts with the industry through sales representatives who primary function is to provide physicians with details of the products their companies market in order to increase the sales of those products. Even though physicians tend to rate industry contacts as relatively unimportant sources of information in their practices, the sheer volume of such contacts may nevertheless ensure that they have an impact on prescribing. High volume prescribers report significantly more frequent contacts with the pharmaceutical industry. The apparently greater attractiveness of industry-related events and contacts may be in part related to the range of “perks” offered to physicians. Majorities of Ontario physicians report that they receive meals and stationery from industry sources. Small numbers report the receipt of more significant benefits including conference fees, travel expenses and computer hardware and software. Frequency of industry contacts, range of benefits received and prescription volume are positively intercorrelated. A majority of doctors agree that prescription drug advertisements should be required to include information about costs and effects. A majority also approve of the suggestion that new drug products should be licensed only if they can be shown to constitute improvements over existing products.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/Canada/doctors/source of information/value of promotion/sales representatives// sponsored symposia & conferences/gift giving/ drug company sponsored meals and travel/quality of information/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: PAYMENT FOR MEALS, ACCOMODATION, TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DETAILING