Publication:

Knowledge attitude and practices of drug promotional literature: a clinician’s perspective

Background Promotion of drugs by pharmaceutical industries is fully regulated by drug regulators. Doctors are focus of intense marketing by representatives of pharmaceutical companies (MR). It is reported that very few physicians are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to critically assess the information delivered in drug promotional literature (DPL). Hence this study was carried out with the objective to determine knowledge, attitude and practices of doctors about the DPL

Methods This was a questionnaire-based study population included clinicians working in a government set up and others doing private practice. Questionnaire was circulated online on social media platforms via Google forms.

Results The 32.11% participants were aware of regulations and guidelines of DPL in India  80.7% participants searched  for cost of medicine on DPL, 54.12% respondents perceive that the product claims made on DPL are balanced and supported by good evidence, 56.88% participants opined that their integrity is compromised by accepting gift  from MR, 43.1% participants are exposed to drug advertisement through social media and 51.06% of them opined that their prescribing habits are influenced through this. Writing brand names while prescribing is significantly more in private practitioners   as compared to doctors employed in government set up.

Conclusions DPL serves to update the knowledge of the busy clinicians of the latest developments in the medical field. Quality check of drug promotion on social media is the need of the hour as this is influential. Private practitioners need to be addressed regarding enforced laws for rational prescribing.