ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent and composition of pharmaceutical industry representatives' marketing techniques with a particular focus on drug sampling in relation to drug age. DESIGN: A group of 47 GPs prospectively collected data on drug promotional activities during a six-month period, and a sub-sample of 10 GPs furthermore recorded the representatives' marketing techniques in detail. SETTING: Primary healthcare. SUBJECTS: General practitioners in the County of Funen, Denmark. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Promotional visits and corresponding marketing techniques. RESULTS: The 47 GPs recorded 1050 visits corresponding to a median of 19 (range 3 to 63) per GP in the six months. The majority of drugs promoted (52%) were marketed more than five years ago. There was a statistically significant decline in the proportion of visits where drug samples were offered with drug age, but the decline was small OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.95;0.98) per year. Leaflets (68%), suggestions on how to improve therapy for a specific patient registered with the practice (53%), drug samples (48%), and gifts (36%) were the most frequently used marketing techniques. CONCLUSION: Drug-industry representatives use a variety of promotional methods. The tendency to hand out drug samples was statistically significantly associated with drug age, but the decline was small.
