TABLE 5.
Perceived effects of physician–pharmaceutical industry interactions
| Percentage of respondents that perceive effects on the cost of healthcare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase cost (%) | No effect (%) | Decrease cost (%) | Unsure (%) | |
| Gifts overall | 334, 54.59, 642 | 231, 394, 10.39 | 3.11 | 284, 35.29 |
| Office gifts | 262 | 382 | 192 | 162 |
| Personal gifts | 422 | 302 | 142 | 142 |
| Percentage of respondents that perceive effects on quality of healthcare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative effect (%) | No effect (%) | Positive effect (%) | Unsure (%) | |
| Office gifts | 132 | 612 | 142 | 122 |
| Personal gifts | 232 | 542 | 82 | 152 |
| Very worried (%) | Somewhat worried (%) | A little worried (%) | Not worried at all (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial interactions | <18 | 68 | 118 | 808 |
| Percentage of respondents that perceive effects on prescribing practices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Influence (%) | Little/No influence (%) | Unsure (%) | |
| Gifts overall | 236, 29.19, 361, 701 | 24.51 | — |
| Small gifts – pen | 8.69, 314 | 76.69 | 14.89 |
| Small gifts – pocket knife | 284 | — | — |
| Small gifts – mug | 314 | — | — |
| Large gifts – medical device | 54.8, 68.39 | 10.9, 25.99 | 19.3, 20.89 |
| Large gifts – car seat cover | 35.39 | 46.19 | 18.69 |
| CME – medical text | 21.69, 384, 374 | 57.79 | 20.79 |
| CME – video | 384 | — | — |
| CME – conference expenses | 37.8, 51.29 | 21.2, 32.49 | 27.6, 29.89 |
| Drug sample | 424 | — | — |
| Meals – lunch | 294 | — | — |
| Meals – dinner | 484, 38.59 | 37.69 | 22.99 |
| Travel | 564, 64.29 | 12.59 | 23.39 |
| Percentage of respondents that would be inclined to participate in a research study following disclosure of physician–pharmaceutical interactions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less inclined (%)† | Depends on amount (%)† | Same as before (%)† | More inclined (%)† | |
| Personal income | 22, 31, 287 | 8, 13, 117 | 53, 46, 507 | 16, 10, 117 |
| Researcher patent | 26, 23, 317 | - | 62, 67, 607 | 12, 11, 97 |
| Researcher stocks | 37, 36, 407 | - | 55, 59, 547 | 8, 5, 67 |
| Per capita payment | 16, 23, 177 | - | 68, 65, 707 | 17, 12, 137 |
| Percentage of respondents that would participate in a clinical trial following disclosure of physician–pharmaceutical interactions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop participation (%) | No effect on participation (%) | Encourage participation (%) | Other (%) | |
| Patent royalties | 148 | 708 | 78 | 98 |
| Percentage of respondents that would participate in a clinical trial following disclosure of physician–pharmaceutical interactions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop participation (%) | No effect on participation (%) | Encourage participation (%) | Other (%) | |
| Stock ownership | 118 | 768 | 18 | 118 |
| Consulting | 128 | 758 | 68 | 78 |
| Speaking fees | 98 | 828 | 48 | 68 |
| Would not participate (%)† | Depends on amount (%)† | Still consider participation (%)† | Unsure (%)† | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal income | 12, 18, 187 | 9, 14, 127 | 79, 67, 707 | — |
| Researcher patent | 13, 11, 177 | — | 75, 72, 687 | 12, 17, 147 |
| Researcher stocks | 17, 14, 207 | — | 65, 61, 597 | 18, 26, 217 |
| Per capita payment | 7, 11, 97 | — | 83, 74, 807 | 10, 15, 117 |
| Percentage of respondents that believe financial interactions influence a physician to enrol patients in a clinical trial | ||
|---|---|---|
| Influence (%) | No Influence (%) | |
| Per-patient payments | 698 | - |
1
Blake and Early, 1995 (self-administered survey, n=486);
2
Mainous et al. 1995 (telephone survey, n=649);
3
LaPuma et al. 1995 (self-administered survey, n=200);
4
Gibbons et al. 1998 (face-to-face survey, n=196);
5
Eaton 2003 (online poll, n=1,479);
6
Wall Street Journal Online 2003 (online poll, n=4,173);
7
Kim et al. 2004 (Internet-administered survey, n=5,478);
8
Hampson et al. 2006 (face-to-face survey, n=253);
9
Semin et al. 2006 (face-to-face survey, n=253);
10
Weinfurt et al. 2006 (focus group, n=139).
†
Results reported as coronary artery disease group (n=2,355), breast cancer group (n=1,006), depression group (n=2,117), respectively CME = continuing medical education