Feedback received for Healthy Scepticism NZ V2N2 Feb 1999 Antibacterials

This edition was sent to GPs, GPTP Registrars, Locums, Registrars N = 4806 and to an unknown but small number of IPA facilitators.

136 feedback forms were returned. We also received 4 letters. This equals a 3% response rate after only 3 editions and despite no reply paid envelope. We do not know what percentage of the recipients actually read HS NZ V2 N2. Respondents are more very likely to be strongly pro HS or strongly anti HS than readers who did not provide feedback. The views of doctors with a tendency to burn out or apathy will be under represented. That is unfortunate because those 2 groups are very important.

The feedback is arranged in accord with the following objectives for Healthy Scepticism NZ:

	Improve pharmaceutical prescribers’ understanding of techniques of pharmaceutical promotion;
	Improve prescribers’ critical appraisal of evidence;
	Obtain feed-back from prescribers about pharmacetical advertising and about the effectiveness of the newsletters themselves.
	Encouraging best practice in prescribing;
	Obtaining better health outcomes through cost effective prescribing.