Yesterday, I found a news, very important, speaking of Alzheimer; the news was saying that: "The marketing of pharmaceutical prescriptions has influences in future doctors".
A study, conducted with students, from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza (Northeast Spain), has indicated that students and professionals, whose relationship with industry is narrower, "tend to positively evaluate their products and prescribe more, without any scientific evidence justified".
It is one of the main findings of an investigation, into how it affects student exposure to pharmaceutical marketing, says Sara Calderon, a researcher, at the Aragonese University and one of the authors of the article, published in the journal “Primary Care”.
The analysis assumes that the promotional activities of the pharmaceutical industry, in medical schools, are common through training. Some researchers have previously described this relationship, between students and industry, can identify patterns of medical prescription, as recorded Sync.
The research was conducted, with a total of 396 surveys, to students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza.
According to the study, 78.6% of participants had received a gift, unrelated to the formation –samples of drugs, books, travel or meals--, especially those attending to the last courses, during the clinical stage and "students recognize that this may cause biases, in their professional activity", according to the authors note.
Pills on a doctor´s hands
Training is the most frequent activity of the pharmaceutical industry in medical schools, and also the most accepted. According to the work of Calderon, three out of four students think that the talks are often biased, in favor of the company's products, although more than 60% consider them useful.
The 22% would agree to prohibit meetings, between pharmaceutical representatives and students. "In this area are frequent undefined and even contradictory attitudes", Calderon says.
As an example of this ambiguity, the 39.8% of students considered dangerous pharmaceutical promotion, for their teammates; but only the 30.4% believe that it may affect themselves.
This article draws students, who have ever attended a talk, funded by a laboratory or have received a sample, better value their utility.
"The gift tends to create a sense of reciprocity, independent of its amount; but, professionals tend to see themselves, as immune to such effects", say the researchers.
However, attitudes, to invitations and gifts, vary according to their nature and content. While respondents are critical of vacation pay, expensive gifts or meals, they easily accept books, inscriptions and travel to meetings.
This influence appears to cross the border of training. "These behaviors seem to interbreed resident physicians, which can be attributed, in part, to training deficiencies, such on undergraduate as along MIR training", Calderon says.
The 24.9% of respondents have relatives, who practice medicine. These students, according to the research, receive more gifts and show a more positive perception of talks, funded by industry. Fewer people recognise the potential influence of developments, in their prescribing and their teammates, in future.
By other side, within sexes, the study shows a lower compliance. by women, to the strategies of the industry, the 14% versus the 23.4% of men.
To avoid possible negative influences, for Calderon, it would require strengthening of subjects "that encourage reflection and medicine based in evidence, the rational use of medicines or critical reading of literature".
There are also students who, in turn, create initiatives to fight what they see as a violation of medical ethics. As an example, the researchers named the Farmacríticxs group, consisting of sixth graders, who aims to promote an ethical and transparent relationship, with the pharmaceutical industry.
"Precisely because of their student status, activities and training content should be always accessible and rigorous", concludes the researcher.
Well, I did not know anything about this study; but, now, I think it is very interesting and I thik that it is very important that people know how the pharmaceutical industry works.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
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