Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6597

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: report

Roughead EE
The pharmaceutical representative and medical practitioner encounter: implications for quality use of medicines
1995 Aug
www.camtech.net.au/malam

Abstract:

Audiotapes were made of encounters between sales representatives and doctors. The results indicate that the detailers provided information on indications and dosage and administration for the products they detailed, but provided minimal information concerning other areas, particularly those associated with product risk. Presentations were not judged to be balanced and were found to contain inaccuracies against the Australian Approved Product Information. Comparative product information and data from scientific studies was provided, but it appears that this information was incomplete, sometimes inaccurate and that it was used to promote product benefits while down playing risks. The results of this research raise important questions concerning the role of pharmaceutical representatives, their standards of practice, the regulation and monitoring of their practice and the implications these practices have for the quality use of medicines.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/Australia/sales representatives/quality of information/doctors/safety & risk information/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING