The Impact of General Practitioners' (GPs) Interactions with the Pharmaceutical Industry on their Clinical Practice and Professional Development

Abstract

Objective: to examine general practitioners' dealings with the pharmaceutical business, as well as their attitudes and practices regarding the acceptance and utilisation of free medication samples and other incentives from pharmaceutical representatives. Methods: In June 2014, general practitioners working in different parts of Karachi participated in this cross-sectional survey. Using a basic random selection approach, 222 general practitioners were included. After obtaining formal permission, data was gathered using a standardised, pretested, and self-administered questionnaire. SPSS version 20 was used to input the data. Results: The research comprised 222 general practitioners, 69.4% of whom were men and 30.6% of whom were women, with a mean age of 48.2 + 8.2 years. Every general practitioner confirmed that they had received visits from pharmaceutical representatives, with 60.4% reporting visits from both domestic and international businesses. According to 36% of respondents, the visit was planned every two weeks. Every physician supported the role that pharmaceutical corporations play in the health and medical fields, and they all believed that working with these businesses is beneficial to their professional development. Of all physicians, 58.6% said that their prescription practices were based on the efficacy of the brand, while 32.4% stated that they recommended medications based on the company's personal profit. Conclusion: The conclusion is that pharmaceutical firms have a significant impact in general practitioners' clinical practices. It would be advised to use appropriate health policies to make these behaviours moral.