Impact of Promotional Activities of Pharmaceutical Companies over Prescribing Practices of Health Professionals

摘要

Physicians’ prescribing practices are in?uenced byso many factors ― level of knowledge, colleagues/seniors, textbooks, journals, internet, conferences,media and last but not the least drug promotion.1Among these factors the most vulnerable factor forerrors, bias and in?uence is drug promotion. TheWorld Health Organization defnes drug promotionas all informational and persuasive activities bymanufacturers and distributors, the effect of whichis to in?uence the prescription, supply, purchase,or use of medicinal drugs.2 Nowadays, physiciansare misinformed or misguided by the promotionalactivities of manufacturers merely for their fnancialgains. It is a known fact that pharmaceuticalcompanies spend huge amount of money from drugpromotion. They use different means of promotionlike sale representatives, free samples, advertisementsin media, and sponsorship of educational events andconferences.3 These promotional activities in?uencedoctors, which give way for inappropriate prescribingand contribute to increased health care costsbenefting the patients.