Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6473

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

Thomson AN, Craig BJ, Barham PM.
Attitudes of general practitioners in New Zealand to pharmaceutical representatives.
Anthrozoos 1994 May; 44:(382):220-3

Abstract:

BACKGROUND. Pharmaceutical representatives are a vital component of the marketing of pharmaceutical products and an important source of prescribing information for general practitioners. AIM. A study was undertaken to explore the attitudes of New Zealand general practitioners to pharmaceutical representatives. METHOD. A questionnaire survey of 100 general practitioners was undertaken to which 67 general practitioners responded. RESULTS. The provision of practical prescribing advice by representatives and gifts relevant to medicine were seen as desirable activities by many respondents. However, gifts of value considerably greater than suggested acceptable in recent guidelines for general practitioners were also highly favoured by some practitioners. CONCLUSION. Current ethical guidelines setting out the relationship between pharmaceutical representatives and medical practitioners are inadequate and should be based on the need for the general practitioner to become an unbiased promoter of patient health.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/New Zealand/primary care doctors/sales representatives/attitude toward promotion/gift giving/bioethics/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DETAILING/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: HEALTH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Attitude* Data Collection Drug Industry* Economics Family Practice Financial Support Gift Giving* Humans Information Dissemination Information Services Motivation New Zealand Patient Care Pharmaceutical Preparations Physicians*