How Drug Reps Influence Doctors
Author Information
Author(s): Adriane Fugh-Berman, Shahram Ahari
Primary Institution: Georgetown University Medical Center, University of California San Francisco
Hypothesis
This article explores the strategies used by pharmaceutical sales representatives to manipulate physician prescribing behaviors.
Conclusion
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions to ensure that physicians susceptible to marketing prescribe the most expensive drugs.
Supporting Evidence
- Pharmaceutical companies spent over $15.7 billion on promoting prescription drugs in the US in 2000.
- More than $4.8 billion was spent on detailing, the one-on-one promotion of drugs to doctors.
- Studies show that samples influence prescribing choices.
- Physicians often view drug information from reps as a convenient educational service.
Takeaway
Drug reps try to befriend doctors to get them to prescribe certain medications, often using gifts and personal connections.
Potential Biases
The authors have potential conflicts of interest as one is a former drug rep and the other has been an expert witness in related litigation.
Limitations
The article does not provide empirical data or specific studies to support its claims.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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