Perceptions of Postgraduate Residents towards Promotion by Pharmaceutical Companies at a Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To assess perceptions of postgraduate residents towards their interaction with representatives of pharmaceutical companies.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Medical and Surgical General and Allied Wards of Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad/ Jamshoro from May 2022 to June 2022.

Materials and Methods: Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Residents of Liaquat university hospital were included. Participants were enrolled by using a convenient sampling technique. The socio-demographic profile of residents and their attitudes towards interaction with postgraduate residents was recorded using a self-structured questionnaire.

Results: Most of the residents 98 (83%) found gifts like drug samples useful. 88 (74.57%) subjects viewed that they feel no harm when it comes to accepting academics-related gifts. However, 83 (70%) of the postgraduate residents thought that it is wrong to accept any gift from a drug company. About 59 (50%) of the study participants believed that post-graduate residents should not have communication with the medical company’s representatives at their training place.

Conclusion: The resident’s interaction with medical representatives is substantial. The majority of the participants found perks and gifts useful and they believed that their prescribing practices are not affected by interaction with medical representatives.