Medical Students' Exposure to and Attitudes about the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Systematic Review
Author Information
Author(s): Kirsten E. Austad, Jerry Avorn, Aaron S. Kesselheim
Primary Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
How does exposure to pharmaceutical marketing influence medical students' attitudes?
Conclusion
Medical students frequently interact with pharmaceutical marketing, which is linked to positive attitudes about the industry.
Supporting Evidence
- 40%–100% of medical students reported interacting with the pharmaceutical industry.
- 13%–69% of students believed that gifts from industry influence prescribing.
- Students in clinical years were more likely to accept gifts than preclinical students.
- Eight studies reported a correlation between frequency of contact and favorable attitudes toward industry interactions.
Takeaway
Medical students often meet with drug company representatives, and this can make them more positive about the companies, even if they know the marketing is biased.
Methodology
A systematic review of 32 studies examining medical students' exposure to pharmaceutical marketing and their attitudes.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data and the influence of the hidden curriculum in medical education.
Limitations
Most studies were cross-sectional, limiting the ability to infer causation.
Participant Demographics
Approximately 9,850 medical students from 76 medical schools or hospitals, with a majority from the US.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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