Knowledge transfers as the basis of decision support for drug prescription

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the drug knowledge transfer process in pharmaceutical marketing and to investigate how drug knowledge transfer facilitates to change general practitioners’ (GPs) prescribing decision.Design/methodology/approachAs an exploratory study, a semi-structured interview has been performed with 13 medical representatives (MRs) from five established Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and 14 GPs, working in Japan. Sampling was done by using snowball method, and data were analyzed by using an inductive research analysis method.FindingsFindings revealed that periodic and direct knowledge transfer between MRs and GPs facilitates to change GPs prescribing decision from one to another brand of drug. In the prescribing decision changing process, GPs are tending to evaluate and observe the acquired knowledge through academic journal and conferences, consulting with their colleagues and information and communication technology. After having a satisfactory evaluation and observation of acquired drug knowledge, GPs are tending to apply in their prescription. Other communication channels such as internet, telephone, direct or postal mails are used as re-enforcing tools of direct drug knowledge transfer process.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the understanding of drug knowledge transfer from MRs to GPs in pharmaceutical marketing, which is still an area of under-explored topic.