Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1912

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

Monaghan MS, Galt KA, Turner PD, Houghton BL, Rich EC, Markert RJ, Bergman-Evans B.
Student understanding of the relationship between the health professions and the pharmaceutical industry.
Teach Learn Med 2003 Win; 15:(1):14-20

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical sales representatives and direct-to-consumer advertising may influence physician practices, particularly prescribing. Identifying the relevant knowledge and attitudes students possess about the pharmaceutical industry may help professional curricula address these influences.

PURPOSES: To assess knowledge and attitudes toward pharmaceutical industry marketing, ethical principles guiding drug company interactions, pharmaceutical sales representatives as a source of drug information, and confidence level in addressing consumers seeking a prescription from a direct-to-consumer advertisement among senior-level medical, PharmD, and nurse practitioner students.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess student knowledge and attitudes of four domains associated with the pharmaceutical industry.

RESULTS: Significant deficiencies were noted in student knowledge of pharmaceutical marketing expenditures, professional ethics regarding interactions with drug companies, and accuracy of drug information from sales representatives.

CONCLUSIONS: Health professional students’ knowledge and attitudes toward the pharmaceutical industry are formed prior to graduation. Professional curricula must address the influences of sales representatives before postgraduate training.

Keywords:
Attitude of Health Personnel Conflict of Interest Cross-Sectional Studies Decision Making/ethics Drug Industry* Ethics, Medical/education Evidence-Based Medicine Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice* Humans Marketing/methods Patient Participation Physician-Patient Relations Professional Practice*/ethics Students, Health Occupations*/statistics & numerical data* United States