Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10568
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
Grande D.
Prescriber profiling: time to call it quits.
Ann Intern Med 2007 May 15; 146:(10):751-2
http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/146/10/751
Abstract:
Pharmaceutical marketing to physicians recently surpassed $23 billion per year, and the pharmaceutical industry currently employs 1 sales representative for every 5 office-based physicians (1, 2). In this setting, policymakers and patients are understandably concerned about commercial influences on physicians’ prescribing decisions.
Real-time, physician-specific data on prescribing habits are a powerful tool that pharmaceutical sales representatives rely on when visiting a physician’s office. A representative can quickly access a breakdown of pharmaceuticals prescribed by any physician on a handheld computer, enabling that representative to deliver a tailored marketing pitch to physicians selected for their current prescribing habits. Within weeks, the sales representative can monitor each physician’s response to the pitch-as well as to inducements, such as meals, gifts, and drug samples-and can make repeated visits to achieve sales goals…
Keywords:
Publication Types:
Comment
Editorial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH Terms:
Drug Industry/ethics*
Ethics, Pharmacy*
Marketing*
Physician's Practice Patterns*
Prescriptions, Drug*
United States
Notes:
Comment on:
Ann Intern Med. 2007 May 15;146(10):742-8.
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