Abstract
Worldwide drug expenditures have been one of the main concerns of health care managers, and its containment is one of the primary goals of health care authorities. The present study was conducted through a cross sectional survey in Pakistan during January to June, 2010 not only to find out the importance and influence of promotional tools used by pharmaceutical industry on prescribing behaviors of doctors/consultants, but to also establish comparison between doctors/consultants versus medical representatives and consultant versus doctors with an auxiliary of difference between local and multinational company’s representative. The study revealed that promotional tools are considered vital from doctors and medical representatives’ point of view. There exists significant difference in doctors and consultant’s perception for sponsorships and low value gifts, but no difference in scientific promotional tools. No significant difference exits in perception of medical representatives of multinational and local company representatives. The companies tried to come up as per expectations of doctors to build its reputation and good image by employing different promotional tools. The study also revealed that marketing managers, product managers, chief executive officers or any decision makers involved in budget allocations and making promotional strategy should not rely heavily on medical representative’s feedback as their perception is different from doctors/consultants about relevant importance of each promotional tool. The study will also help product managers and CEOs while allocating promotional budgets and developing promotional mix strategy, to gain maximum return out of investment. Detailed doctors’ demographics can further be researched as predictor for preferring any promotional tools. Key words: Prescribing patterns, promotional tools, physicians, pharmaceutical industry.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) define drug promotion as all informational and persuasive activities by manufacturers and distributors, the effect of which is to influence the prescription, supply, purchase or use of medicinal drugs (Norris et al, 2007)
The present study was conducted through a cross sectional survey in Pakistan during January to June, 2010 to find out the importance and influence of promotional tools used by pharmaceutical industry on prescribing behaviors of doctors/consultants, but to establish comparison between doctors/consultants versus medical representatives and consultant versus doctors with an auxiliary of difference between local and multinational company’s representative
The present study was conducted through a cross sectional survey in Pakistan to find out the importance and influence of promotional tools used by pharmaceutical industry on prescribing behaviors of physicians, but to establish a comparison between physicians versus medical representatives and consultant versus general practitioner with an auxiliary of difference between local and multinational company’s representative
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) define drug promotion as all informational and persuasive activities by manufacturers and distributors, the effect of which is to influence the prescription, supply, purchase or use of medicinal drugs (Norris et al, 2007).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
