Physicians' Attitudes toward Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives

Abstract

Faculty and residents from ten academic internal medicine departments were surveyedabout their perceptions of the informational and service benefits in interactions with pharmaceutical sales representatives (PRs). Complete questionnaires were returned by 90 of 699 physicians in the sample, giving a response rate of 13%. Residents and faculty generally hadneutral attitudes toward the educational and informational value of the detailing activities.Faculty found more positive attitudes toward the information activities of PRs than residents did significantly (p <0. 05). Interestingly, they both perceived that contact with PRs were notinfluential on physician decision making. Seventy-eight percent of faculty and 79.0% uf residents believed that physician could not be compromised, regardless of the value of a gift received.However, faculty were more likely than residents favored existing presentation by PRs at theirhospitals. Twelve percent of faculty and 17% of residents felt they had sufficient training concerning professional interaction with PRs.