The relationship between pharmaceutical promotional tools and prescribing patterns of antihypertensives amongst clinicians at entebbe regional referral hospital

Abstract

Pharmaceutical companies spend on average 20% or more of their budget on sales marketing. Most of these marketing activities are directed towards clinicians because prescription drugs constitute a primary source of revenue to pharmaceutical companies. Clinicians are key decision makers and thus gatekeepers to drug sales. Drug companies thus rely on marketing strategies to influence clinicians’ decisions. Such strategies include free samples, journal advertisements, printed product literature, free lunches, sponsoring education and holidays, doctor visits, detailing, direct-mail, post-marketing research and conferences etc. MAIN OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between pharmaceutical promotional tools and prescribing Patterns of antihypertensives amongst clinicians at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study design was used in this research. TARGET POPULATION AND SIZE: Our study involved collection of data from 267 antihypertensive prescriptions and all prescribers at the antihypertensive clinic in a period of two months.