Critical evaluation of promotional drug literature based on the WHO criteria

Background: Pharmaceutical companies use drug promotional literature (DPL) as an important mode to promote their products and it also influences the prescribing behavior of prescribers. However, information provided in promotional literature may be inadequate or misleading which may lead to irrational prescribing. The WHO has provided ethical criteria for medicinal drug promotion. Aims and Objectives: This study was undertaken with the aim to analyze the promotional drug literature for their compliance to the WHO ethical criteria for medicinal drug promotion, 1988. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and observational study was carried out to evaluate the extent to which promotional literature collected from private physicians meet the WHO ethical criteria for medicinal drug promotion. A total of 100 promotional literature were evaluated for their fulfillment of the WHO criteria. Results: Information regarding brand name, generic name of drugs, dosage form, therapeutic uses, and active ingredient per dosage form was present in most of the promotional drug literature in the present study. However, the information such as safety profile of drugs, precautions, warnings, and drug interactions was not mentioned in most of the DPLs. Conclusion: The majority of DPLs evaluated in this study did not comply with the WHO guidelines for medical drug promotion. As prescribing behavior of physicians is influenced by promotional literatures, regular training of health professionals and medical students regarding critical analysis of DPLs can help in ethical and rational prescribing.

Nuevas modalidades de interacción entre la industria farmacéutica y los médicos / New interaction modalities between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians

Resumen Debido a las restricciones sanitarias secundarias a la pandemia de COVID-19, diversas interacciones entre la industria farmacéutica y los médicos cambiaron. Una de ellas ha sido el método promocional de medicamentos a través de reuniones académicas en torno a padecimientos de interés financiero. Una modalidad reciente ha sido la promoción unilateral de un fármaco determinado por parte de la industria farmacéutica por medio de eventos académicos con la invitación de aparentes "expertos". Estas reuniones frecuentemente están sesgadas no hacia la atención óptima de un padecimiento, sino a la promoción comercial de un medicamento específico que pudiera o no ser la mejor opción o sin la consideración de alternativas terapéuticas asociadas. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico-Industria, de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México, analiza esta nueva circunstancia y propone algunas consideraciones a la comunidad médica.

Abstract Due to sanitary restrictions secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic, various interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians have changed. One of them has been the method for promoting medicinal products through academic meetings around diseases of financial interest. A recent modality has been unilateral promotion by the pharmaceutical industry through academic events with the invitation of so-called "experts" for the promotion of a specific drug; these meetings are often biased not towards optimal care of a disease, but rather towards commercial promotion of a specific drug, which may or may not be the best option, without considering associated therapeutic alternatives. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship, of the National Academy of Medicine, analyzes this new circumstance and proposes some considerations to the medical community.

Importancia de la investigación clínica independiente en la medicina: dificultades y recomendaciones / Importance of independent clinical research in medicine: difficulties and recommendations

Resumen La investigación clínica es la herramienta de mayor importancia para la identificación de estrategias diagnósticas y terapéuticas que deriven en mayor eficacia y seguridad. A pesar de su trascendencia, la implementación exitosa de la investigación clínica presenta numerosas dificultades; entre las más relevantes se encuentra la poca disponibilidad de recursos para realizar ensayos clínicos independientes. Por lo general, la industria farmacéutica absorbe los costos asociados con la mayoría de los ensayos clínicos, sin embargo, esto puede generar una disociación entre los temas de interés y las prioridades en salud, al existir interés económico como principal motivación de estos protocolos. Además del papel relevante de la industria farmacéutica, es importante que las instancias gubernamentales favorezcan las condiciones, tanto económicas como regulatorias, para la implementación de investigación clínica independiente, que aborde temas de interés médico y terapéutico, aunque no genere beneficios económicos empresariales.

Abstract Clinical research is the most important tool for the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that derive in higher efficacy and safety. Despite its significance, successful implementation of clinical research faces numerous difficulties, with one the most relevant being limited availability of resources for the performance of independent clinical trials. Generally, the pharmaceutical industry absorbs the costs associated with most clinical trials; however, this can generate dissociation between subjects of interest and health priorities when economic interest is the main driver of these protocols. In addition to the relevant role played by the pharmaceutical industry, it is important that government agencies favor adequate conditions, both in economic and regulatory aspects, for the implementation of independent clinical research that addresses subjects of medical and therapeutic interest, even if it does not generate corporate economic benefits.

Empirical Study on Financial Status of Listed Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies Evaluated by Using Z-score Model / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To find out potential financial risk in the listed Chinese pharmaceutical companies and to provide rec-ommendations. METHODS:The Z-score established with Altman E was adopted to classiy and analyzed empirically 143 listed phar-maceutical companies in China during 1998-2013 by sub-sectors(medical devices,pharmaceutical commercial,biological products chemical raw medicine,traditional TCM). The effects of some data in annual reports on Z-score were validated by using stepwise regression. RESULTS:The result showed that the average Z-score values percentage of the best 3 companies were 90.95%,47.96%and 41.25%,respectively,from 1998-2013;while for the worst 3 companies,the values were 0.80%,1.14%and 1.21%,respective-ly. At the same time,the financial situations of chemical raw medicine companies were the worst among 5 sub-sectors,of which dur-ing 2004-2006,the constituent ratios of companies in“Distress”zones went over 50.00%,which were 60.00%,55.20% and 53.60%,respectively. If counted by calendar year,the market value per share of 10 years and float of 9 years significantly affected the Z-score values(P<0.05);if counted by listed year,the market value per share of 15 years significantly affected the Z-score val-ues. CONCLUSIONS:Although major pharmaceutical companies have good financial status,financial crisis still exists in some companies. Especially,the financial situations of chemical raw medicine companies should not be neglected. The government should pay more attention to share price in order to prevent financial crisis which was induced by stock bubbles;at the same time,supervi-sion system should be established to evaluate the financial situation of listed pharmaceutical companies,even for all listed companies.

Medication Errors Associated with Look-alike/Sound-alike Drugs: A Brief Review.

The existence of confusing drug names is one of the most common causes of medication errors. There are many types of medication errors: wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route of administration, wrong patient etc. Misreading medication names that look similar is a common mistake. These look-alike medication names may also sound alike and can lead to errors associated with verbal prescriptions. Similar sounding drugs may produce confusion and may lead to unintended interchange of drugs causing harm to patients or even patient death. The main aim of the study was to evaluate medication errors related to look alikesound alike drug names and to find out the strategies to prevent these medication errors.

Construction of Competitiveness Evaluation Index System of Listed TCM Pharmaceutical Companies by Delphi Method / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To construct the competitiveness evaluation index system of listed TCM pharmaceutical companies and provide efficient technology and methods for the evaluation in related field.Methods Index base was founded by the means of the literature research method at first. Then 20 experts were asked to score all these indexes according to the importance of each index. Dimensionality and index base of competitiveness evaluation index system of listed TCM pharmaceutical companies were screened. With two rounds of questionnaires, the evaluation index system was constructed finally.Results The positive coefficients of two rounds of expert consultation were 95% and 100%;the cooperative coefficients were 0.659 and 0.639;the authoritative coefficient was 0.713 2. Evaluation system consisted of 5 first grade indexes and 26 second grade indexes.Conclusion The positive coefficients and the authoritative coefficients are both high enough through Delphi method. Opinions of all the experts in the two round of expert consultation tend to be uniform, which reveals that the evaluation index system of listed TCM pharmaceutical companies is relatively scientific.

A Questionnaire Survey about Potential Conflict of Interest in Pharmacist’s Practice / 社会薬学

Relationships between physicians and pharmaceutical companies have received considerable attention regarding the professionalism of health care professionals in recent years. Pharmacists may also have a conflict of interest if they are provided some benefits from pharmaceutical companies. We conducted a survey of pharmacists in hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies in mid 2011. The response rate was 58.8％（235/400）. Most pharmacists（94％） reported some type of relationship with pharmaceutical companies, which included receiving ballpoint pens and notebooks（88.5％）, or receiving food in a meeting（56.6％）. Managerial level pharmacists received more “textbooks and guidelines”, “gifts” than other pharmacists. The results of this survey indicate that relationships between pharmacists and companies is common. The formulation of guidelines and more responsible behaviors are needed.

Research on factors restricting the development of pharmaceutical enterprises in our country and strategy / 中国生化药物杂志

With chinese pharmaceutical companies in the rapid development, there are many factors restricting their development, this article through consulting relevant literature, data and investing, analyzing the shortage of the pharmaceutical enterprises at the present stage in China and the factors of restricting their development, so as to put forward the solution to the current situation of pharmaceutical enterprises in China and the related measures, make more long-term and healthy development of pharmaceutical enterprises in China.

Community pharmacist's perceptions towards the quality of locally manufactured generic medicines: A descriptive study from Malaysia.

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Malaysian community pharmacist towards locally manufactured generic medicines. A cross-sectional descriptive study involving entire population (N = 270) of Practicing community pharmacists in the State of Penang, Malaysia was undertaken using a self-completed anonymous mail questionnaire. Responses were received from 48 pharmacists (response rate 17.8%). Majority of the respondents (97.9%) actively dispensed generic medicines in their practice. Only 37.5% of the respondents viewed locally manufactured generic medicines as equal in quality compared to the imported generics from international manufacturers. However, approximately 60% of the respondents agreed that domestic generics are equal in safety and efficacy as the imported generic medicines. About half of the respondents (47.9%) believed that imported generic products need to pass more stringent approval process. Majority of the respondents (68.8%) urged that the Malaysian regulatory authorities should convince pharmacists about the quality of domestic generic medicines. The Malaysian pharmacists have lack of confidence with the generic medicines produced by local pharmaceutical companies.

Data Envelopment Analysis-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Merger & Acquisition of Listed Pharmaceutical Companies / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the performance of merger and acquisition (M&A) of listed pharmaceutical companies over 3 years from 2000 to 2002. METHODS: Based on the financial data of the listed companies in 26 cases, a data envelopment analysis was performed to compare and evaluate the efficiency of the companies before and after M&A. RESULTS: The efficiency was reduced in the first 3 years after M&A, but increased started from the fourth year. CONCLUSIONS: M&A did not promote the efficiency of listed pharmaceutical companies.