Interactions between physicians and drug industry

Abstract

Ethical issues involving drug industry physician relationship have resulted in an ongoing debate about its appropriateness for many years in medical World. The most familiar marketing strategies of drug companies include individual gifts for physicians and sponsorship for educational and social activities. This interaction begins during medical school years of doctors and types of interactions are modified according to factors such as physician's position, title and number of patients. Although data reveal the opposite, most doctors deny or underestimate the influence of drug companies on their drug prescription. Both sides have common interests such as effective drug usage and observation, conduction of creative scientific studies. However, they have conflict of interests in some aspects. Physicians mostly care about patients' well-being and scientific improvement while drug companies are mostly involved in commercial benefit. Furthermore, some of the marketing strategies may have significant consequences on health of society such as rising drug costs, wrong or excessive usage of drugs. Regulations and guidelines have been designed in order to overcome these issues. However, the most important role in modelling of physician-drug industry interaction belongs to physicians. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(4.000): 777-781]

Keywords

• Doctor
• drug company