ABSTRACT
Interaction between pharmaceutical company representatives (PCRs) and physicians is a common practice. Because PCRs are very important for promotion of drugs, we decided to evaluate their perception of factors influencing prescribing patterns of physicians. PCRs based in our city were asked to participate in the study. A printed questionnaire addressing the following factors was administered: physician related, drug related, promotional strategies related, and PCR related. Each question had multiple options, and the PCRs were asked to check the most appropriate answer. A total of 96 completed forms were evaluated. PCRs of 25 pharmaceutical companies participated in the study. About 55% of PCRs thought that they influenced more than 50% of prescriptions written by physicians. About two thirds of PCRs perceived provision of scientific information to be the most effective means of sales promotion. More than one third reported that physicians actively ask for gifts in return for writing a prescription. Free drug samples (23.4%), sponsorship for conferences (19.2%), and provision of scientific literature (19.1%) were the other factors that were likely to influence prescription writing. Pharmacy graduates were more likely to influence prescription writing by the physicians than PCRs with other educational backgrounds. Communication skills of the PCRs were considered to be the single most important attribute in drug promotion by PCRs. In conclusion, the present study showed that PCRs feel that they exert considerable influence on the prescribing behavior of physicians and that the physicians were entertaining unethical promotional practices.