And the expense pays off in loyal prescribers. Wazana based his analysis on a search of the medical literature, which turned up 29 studies that examined the dynamics of the drug industry's sales practices. The studies probed the extent of doctors' contacts with drug company reps, doctors' attitudes about the contacts and how the relationships affected the doctors.
Contacts continue after a new doctor enters practice.
Physicians learn about drugs almost entirely from sales reps, says Raymond Woosely, an expert on pharmacology and physician training at Georgetown University Medical School. He notes that most medical schools offer just one course in pharmacology. PhRMA spokesman Jeff Trewhitt says his group has not yet reviewed the study.