Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20071

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: Magazine

Hope A
Script patterns
Australian Doctor 2004 Oct 823

Full text:

Editor: Can Ron Tomlins, chairman of the General Practice Computing Group, really expect anyone to believe his assertion that there is no evidence that ads on prescribing software influence GPs (‘Expert calls for advertising ban on prescribing software’, 3 September)?

Perhaps he means there is no published evidence, which I would believe. After all, who would publish such a study? Commonsense tells us that the drug companies wouldn’t spend money on promoting drug to GPs, or on their backdoor direct-to-consumer advertising through “independent” disease-specific web sites and “ask your GP” advertisements, without having some evidence to support their actions.

Anecdotally, patients have told me they find it disconcerting to see the ads flash up on their GP’s computer during their consultation, and wonder how it influences their doctor. Unfortunately, research on this topic, together with that showing negative outcomes from the use of proprietary drugs, is unlikely to see the light of day.

Australia is one of the few countries to have a national medicines policy (see www.nmp.health.gov.au), and it has led to significant improvements in areas of medicine supply to our populace.

Under this policy we had a strategic action plan (2001-03) for quality use of medicine (QUM), which called for data collection in the area of what influence’s doctors’ prescribing habits. The introduction of prescribing software complete with advertisements is a key development to study.

Unfortunately, there has been limited commitment by the Howard Government to carrying out the action plan, and funding for commissioning independent QUM research has been wound back. I am not aware of any independent research on prescribing software ads.

In the run-up to a federal election it would be good to see the Federal Opposition committ to ensuring that there is adequate research in the area of what really influences doctors’ prescribing patterns, and how to use that for health gains rather than commercial gain.

Dr Alex Hope
Ltyentye Apurte, NT