Conflitto di interessi tra medici e industria farmaceutica. Studio quali-quantitativo sulla percezione degli studenti della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università di Bologna

Translated title of the contribution: Conflicts of interest between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. A quali-quantitative study to assess medical students' attitudes at the University of Bologna

Alice Fabbri, Martino Ardigò, Luisella Grandori, Chiara Reali, Chiara Bodini, Angelo Stefanini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

▶ Context. While exposure to and attitudes about drug company interactions with the community have been studied extensively, relatively little is known about the influence of drug companies on medical students. The purpose of this study was to assess medical students' attitudes toward marketing strategies of the pharmaceutical industry. ▶ Methods. A qualitative-quantitative study was conducted. Initially, 60 medical students at the University of Bologna were interviewed in order to define the most important issues to be analysed. In a second phase, 190 medical students completed an anonymous 22-item survey on the degree of bias in pharmaceutical representatives' information, the influence of pharmaceutical representatives on physicians' prescribing habits, the acceptability of specific gifts, and the educational value of pharmaceutical representatives' information. ▶ Results. Our study revealed a lack of information among students on these topics and related ethical issues. Most students were not aware of the possible consequences of the interaction between physicians and pharmaceutical representatives. ▶ Conclusions. Further research should focus on evaluating students' attitudes toward the pharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, these findings, coupled with the students' desire to learn more about the issue, suggest that an early educational intervention addressing this topic should be provided in medical schools.

Translated title of the contributionConflicts of interest between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. A quali-quantitative study to assess medical students' attitudes at the University of Bologna
Original languageItalian
Pages (from-to)242-254
Number of pages13
JournalRicerca e Pratica
Volume24
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2008

Keywords

  • Conflict of interest
  • Medical education
  • Pharmaceutical industry
  • Students

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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