Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4780

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

Ben Abdelaziz A, Harrabi I, Rahmani S, Ghedira A, Gaha K, Ghannem H.
[Attitudes of general practitioners to pharmaceutical sales representatives in Sousse].
East Mediterr Health J. 2003 Sep-Nov;9(5-6):1075-83. 2003 Sep-Nov 01; 9:(5-6):1075-83

Abstract:

The therapeutic knowledge of physicians is the corner stone to the rational use of medicines; however information about medicines is generally obtained from the pharmaceutical industry via their sales representatives (reps). We aimed to identify general practitioners’ (GPs) attitudes to pharmaceutical reps and the information they provide. We surveyed 140 GPs using a self-administered questionnaire. The response rate was 78% (72 GPs from the public sector and 68 from the private sector). About 10% of the GPs said they received daily visits from pharmaceutical reps; 84% of GPs considered them an efficient source of information and 31% said they might change their therapeutic prescribing following visits from these reps. Because of their positive perception of pharmaceutical reps, GPs are susceptible to the information they provide. Controlling the validity of the therapeutic information imparted by the pharmaceutical industry is thus a fundamental component of the programme for the rational use of medicines.

Keywords:
Attitude of Health Personnel* Commerce* Drug Industry* Drug Information Services Education, Medical, Continuing English Abstract Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Organizational Innovation Pharmacology/education Physician's Practice Patterns/organization & administration Physicians, Family/education Physicians, Family/psychology* Prescriptions, Drug Private Sector Public Sector Questionnaires