ASSESSMENT ON THE EFFECT OF PHARMACEUTICAL PROMOTION ON PRESCRIBING DECISIONS OF DOCTORS IN HOSPITALS AND HIGHER CLINICS OF ADDIS ABABA

Abstract

Background: Drug promotion has an important bearing on the rational use of drugs. Aim: To determine the impact of pharmaceutical promotion on the decision-making process of prescription of doctors working in Addis Ababa. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of randomly selected 313 doctors practicing in Addis Ababa. A self administered structured questionnaire was used. The questionnaire included questions regarding socio-demographics, factors affecting prescribing decision, self-reported and self-rated effect of the activities of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives (PSRs) on doctors prescribing decisions. Results: Overall response rate was 300/313 doctors (96%). Of the total respondents, 81.3% reported that their prescribing decisions were affected by promotional activities. Sociodemographic characteristics of doctors’ were not found to be related factors that affect their prescribing behaviours by drug promotion activities. The extent of exposure to promotional activities was found to be higher among doctors who reported affected by drug promotion (P=0.01). Doctors who perceived that gifts from PSRs are appropriate or PSRs as valuable source of drug information were reported their prescribing behavior highly affected. Conclusions and Recommendations: As a group, doctors are at risk for influence by promotional activities. The extents of exposure to drug promotion activities and doctors’ perception about gifts from PSRs were found to be important factors that affect prescribing behavior.. Government bodies and/or professional societies should provide drug information services and implement effective control mechanism to limit the influence posed by drug promotion activities. Further research may be required to understand exactly how much influence and to what degree promotional activities affect physicians’ prescribing behaviors.