Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6381

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

Semin S, Guldal D, Ozcakar N, Mevsim V.
What patients think about promotional activities of pharmaceutical companies in Turkey
Pharm World Sci. 2006 Oct 26;

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: Drugs, as commercial products, are subject to diverse marketing
methods including promotional activities. Although the legal/ethical aspects
of promotional activities have been discussed in a limited manner, the
patient has remained the neglected variable of this equation. The goal of
our study, therefore, is to investigate the patients’ opinion on the
promotional activities of pharmaceutical companies. METHOD: A descriptive
study was conducted at 44 primary health care centers in Turkey and 584
volunteers who applied to these centers were included. A questionnaire
consisting of 42 questions was developed with demographic information in the
first section, and drug ads and promotions included in the second section.
Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical
analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The awareness and ethical evaluation of
patients of the promotional activities. RESULTS: Nearly 83% of the
participants were aware of the promotion issue. Eighty percent found it
unethical, 82% suggested that promotional activities should be forbidden,
restricted or regulated. 1/3 of the participants believed that physicians
made their drug choices based on the gifts and ads of pharmaceutical
companies. Half of them had low confidence in the prescriptions of
physicians who accepted gifts from the pharmaceutical companies. 54.5% of
patients also considered promotional activities as a factor which increased
drug prices. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, a considerable number of patients
were aware of promotions and the effects of promotion on prescriptions. The
findings of our study may contribute to the development of effective
regulations on this issue. Very strict measures controlling drug companies’
promotion activities must be formulated. Further, these regulations must
incorporate and take into consideration the patients’ opinion. Today, the
basic need for the proper use of drugs does not rest in pharmaceutical
promotion, but in providing adequate health services and effective education
for both people and physicians.