Abstract

FUGH-BERMAN, Adriane  and  HOMEDES, Nuria. How drug companies manipulate prescribing behavior. Rev. colomb. anestesiol. [online]. 2018, vol.46, n.4, pp.317-321. ISSN 0120-3347.  https://doi.org/10.1097/cj9.0000000000000075.

Pharmaceutical companies affect prescribing behavior through various means, including pharmaceutical salespeople (drug reps), drug samples, influential peers, and educational events. Information on drugs provided by industry representatives has been shown to be inaccurate. Drug samples are among the most effective marketing tools that companies have. "Thought leaders" or "key opinion leaders" are used to persuade peers to use drugs for unapproved uses, raise awareness of targeted diseases, and to shape perceptions of a drug's benefits and harms, as well as perceptions about competing drugs. Although grants provided for talks, seminars, and meetings are described as "unrestricted," it is understood that the company gets to select some speakers, and that speakers with views that undermine marketing messages will not be invited. Promotion has been shown to increase physicians' prescription of targeted drugs, and increases prescription costs.

Keywords : Drug Industry; Education; Continuing; Drug Samples; Drug Prescriptions; Medical Staff.

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