Clinicians Participating in the Pharmaceutical-Sponsored Trails Tend to Prescribe their Drugs

According to a Danish study conducted by Dr. Morten Andersen of the University of Southern Denmark-Odense and colleagues it was found that doctors who took part in pharmaceutical-sponsored clinical trials tend to prescribe the sponsor’s drugs. The study results appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research team said that this is due to the fact that the doctor knows the product well. It is also due to the fact that the trail would have established a close physician-company cooperation, which may create physician loyalty toward the company.

The research team investigated the effects of a doctor who took part in a pharmaceutical company-sponsored clinical trial. The trail was to test the effect of the asthma medicines on the patients. It compared the result with that of the control (non-trial-conducting) practices in Funen County, Denmark. The result was that these trails increased the use of the sponsor’s medication. Hence in conclusion the researchers said that the clinicians involved in clinical trails sponsored by the company are a potent tool for influencing company-specific drug preferences.