Table 2.
a) Important in theory (n = 118) | b) Source for last ‘new’ drug prescribed (n = 112) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Information source | ‘Old’ drugs | ‘New’ drugs | |
British National Formulary (BNF) | 77% | 76% | 2% |
Senior colleagues | 68% | 81% | 27% |
Medical journal articles | 59% | 71% | 13% |
Other specialist teams | 59% | 74% | 6% |
Monthly Index of Medical Specialties (MIMS) | 38% | 40% | 0% |
Hospital clinical meetings | 31% | 62% | 15% |
Junior colleagues | 31% | 40% | 2% |
Drugs & Therapeutics Bulletin | 19% | 32% | 1% |
Pharmaceutical representatives | 18% | 47% | 18% |
Sponsored meetings | 13% | 34% | 1% |
Journal advertisements | 13% | 30% | 3% |
Direct mail | 8% | 15% | 0% |
Medical school lectures | ni | ni | 10% |
Others* | ni | ni | 3% |
hospital pharmacy, laboratory report, clinical trial involvement. ni = not indicated. Percentages have been rounded.