Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6560

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

Kopp C.
Reps on the hot seat
Prescrire International 1995; 4:(18):128

Abstract:

In many countries medical sales representativeds are the main (and sometimes the only) source of drug information. Prescribers spend a considerable amount of time listening to drug company representatives: it has been estimated that each year the average French general practitioner spends about 100 hours in this way. But how thorough and reliable is the information received? Several years ago Prescrire set up a network of subscribers to monitor the activity of medical sales representatives. The results obtained to date are alarming: the quality of the information provided in this way is very poor in more than one respect. In particular, the suggested indications and doses of new drugs often extend far beyond the licensing terms, while side effects and contraindications are rarely mentioned. Furthermore, incentives to prescribe are often excessive. This is hardly suprising: medical representatives are, at the end of the day, merely an elaborate (and effective) way for companies to promote their products. Unfortunately, these visits also encourage intellectual laziness and irresponsible prescribing. The time spent listening to medical sales representatives would be better used in reading accurate and comparative information such as that found in journals that are totally independent of the pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords:
*editorial/France/sales representatives/quality of information/quality of prescribing/la revue Prescrire/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE