For most people, the idea of pushing drugs conjures visions of criminals hunkering over piles of cash and illegal white, powdery substances. Industry spokespeople and some doctors say that marketing efforts generally result in a better-informed physician who is better able to care for his or her patients. Other doctors call third-party, or indirect, marketing a waste of time and money. Drug industry critics have produced some evidence suggesting that drug marketing has combined with other factors to prompt doctors into sometimes prescribing useless or harmful drugs.
Doctors also can be influenced by patient requests for certain drugs, research suggests.
Ideally, a doctor prescribes a drug because the scientific evidence shows it will help the patient. To what extent prescribing decisions are based on science and to what extent on marketing are issues of considerable debate. While in medical school, students on tight budgets are frequently invited to lunches or dinners sponsored by drug companies. Many received their first stethoscope, neurological hammer, penlight and doctor's black bag from a drug firm. According to a 1982 study of 85 Boston area physicians, however, marketing may have a much stronger influence on doctors' prescribing behavior than doctors realize or admit.