Drug salesmen do not inform doctors of harmful drug effects , A University of British Columbia study published in the April 10, 2013, issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that the majority of doctors are not informed of new drugs bad side effects by drug company sales representatives.
The study included questionnaires about promoted medicine following sales visits that were distributed to doctors in the United States, Canada, and France.
The physicians that returned the questionnaires reported that drug company sales representatives discussed no harmful effects of new drugs or the findings of new harmful effects of approved drugs in 59 to 66 percent of their visits to the doctors.
Laws in the United States, Canada, and France require drug companies regularly report side effects to physicians but no governmental body oversees compliance with these laws.
The report places the majority of the blame on drug companies but one would think a responsible and compassionate physician would go the extra mile needed to investigate side effects that may be detrimental to their patients before the doctor prescribes a potentially harmful drug.
The report hints at the ever growing financial relationship between physicians and drug companies as one source of the lack of interest in side effects of new drugs on the part of physicians.
The huge lobbying funds that drug companies pay out in the United States as well as political campaign contributions could be a factor in the lack of oversight and failure to comply with laws on the part of doctors and drug sales representatives.
Details of the research findings can be seen here.
source examiner
The study included questionnaires about promoted medicine following sales visits that were distributed to doctors in the United States, Canada, and France.
The physicians that returned the questionnaires reported that drug company sales representatives discussed no harmful effects of new drugs or the findings of new harmful effects of approved drugs in 59 to 66 percent of their visits to the doctors.
Laws in the United States, Canada, and France require drug companies regularly report side effects to physicians but no governmental body oversees compliance with these laws.
The report places the majority of the blame on drug companies but one would think a responsible and compassionate physician would go the extra mile needed to investigate side effects that may be detrimental to their patients before the doctor prescribes a potentially harmful drug.
The report hints at the ever growing financial relationship between physicians and drug companies as one source of the lack of interest in side effects of new drugs on the part of physicians.
The huge lobbying funds that drug companies pay out in the United States as well as political campaign contributions could be a factor in the lack of oversight and failure to comply with laws on the part of doctors and drug sales representatives.
Details of the research findings can be seen here.
source examiner
