Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1181

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

Stokamer CL.
Pharmaceutical gift giving: analysis of an ethical dilemma.
J Nurs Adm 2003 Jan; 33:(1):48-51

Abstract:

When pharmaceutical companies market their products to, and through, healthcare professionals in hospitals and private practice, healthcare professionals face ethical dilemmas in their practice and their organizations. Pharmaceutical companies target nurse practitioners with prescribing privileges. The author describes the ethical dilemma faced by healthcare professionals when friendly salespeople offer tempting gifts. The article outlines cultural responses to gift giving and ethical issues surrounding healthcare professionals’ responses to pharmaceutical marketing strategies. Nurse administrators need to acknowledge a growing threat to nursing integrity. Nurse administrators have the power to make and enforce ethical policies that prevent proprietary influences from clouding nursing judgment and contributing to the escalating costs of prescription medications.

Keywords:
Choice Behavior/ethics Conflict (Psychology) Conflict of Interest Drug Industry/ethics* Ethics, Nursing* Gift Giving/ethics* Humans Marketing/ethics* Nurse Administrators/ethics* Nurse Administrators/psychology Patient Advocacy/ethics Power (Psychology) analysis United States nurses sales representatives conflict-of-interest gift giving nurse prescribing ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DETAILING REGULATIONS, CODES, GUIDELINES: HOSPITALS