[Drug marketing: methods, effect and regulation]

Abstract

The interaction between pharmaceutical companies and physicians has been discussed intensely in recent years. Pharmaceutical companies use multiple marketing methods which are targeted at physicians: advertisement, visits by representatives, distribution of free drug samples or other gifts, sponsoring of meetings and seminars. It has been shown that this interaction influences physicians' prescriptions inappropriately. As the interaction is inevitable, it should be further addressed how this interaction may be regulated to minimize non-rational prescribing.