Table 1. Inclusion criteria for NIPMSs.

Inclusion criteria for NIPMSs	Reason
Began after 31 December 2012	To allow for analysis 1 year prior to the beginning of the NIPMS (t0), as prescription data at the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds were only available beginning in January 2012
Ended after 31 December 2013	Change in regulations affecting all studies ending after this date that allowed for tracking prescription practices
Ended before 1 July 2015	To allow for a follow up of 1 year (t2) immediately after the end of the NIPMS, while ending before the commencement of our data collection
Observed medicinal product or drug is covered by statutory health insurance	Otherwise, notification to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds is not required regarding participating physicians
Observed medicinal product or drug is subject to a prescription by a physician and dispensed by a pharmacy	Otherwise, no prescription data are available
Study is prospective	Retrospective studies are not expected to affect prescription practices
Observed medicinal product or drug was approved at least 6 months before the beginning of the NIPMS	Otherwise, prescription data before the study would not represent the physicians’ prescription habits accurately
Study was conducted among physicians in private practice (rather than physicians employed in hospitals)	Prescription data are only available for physicians in private practice

NIPMS, non-interventional post-marketing study.