Healthy Skepticism Library item: 5521

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

Vinson DC, McCandless B, Hosokawa MC.
Medical students' attitudes toward pharmaceutical marketing: possibilities for change.
Fam Med 1993 Jan; 25:(1):31-3

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Concerns have been expressed about physicians’ acceptance of gifts from pharmaceutical companies, but few studies have examined or attempted to change medical students’ attitudes about accepting such gifts. METHODS: We used a questionnaire survey to measure attitudes about accepting such gifts. We then carried out a field experiment to compare changes in second-year medical students’ attitudes, seven weeks after a one-hour lecture and discussion about the appropriateness of pharmaceutical gifts, to changes in first-year students who were not exposed to the program. RESULTS: Following the intervention, second-year students became less accepting of these marketing practices; first-year students showed no significant change. The difference between the groups after the intervention was statistically significant (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: If medical students’ attitudes about accepting gifts from pharmaceutical companies need to be changed, this study suggests that the process may be fostered with little investment of curricular time.

Keywords:
Attitude of Health Personnel* Commerce Drug Industry/economics* Ethics, Medical* Humans Missouri Questionnaires Students, Medical/psychology* *analytic survey/*educational intervention/United States/students/attitude toward promotion/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS/EDUCATING ABOUT PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS

Notes:

HAIWHO