The role of healthcare professionals in establishing unhealthy pharmaceutical promotion activities in Yemen

Abstract

Background: Recently, the relationship between healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies has been given considerable attention worldwide and has been criticised with the companies being blamed for corrupting the medical profession. Objective: A study was carried out in Yemen to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of this relationship and the role of healthcare professionals in establishing unhealthy promotional activities. Method: A cross-sectional study was designed and conducted using a self-administered questionnaire for physicians, medical representatives and pharmacists. Opinions and knowledge of respondents about the ethical problems created by healthcare professionals were quantitatively analysed. Results: Participants reported that the current state of pharmaceutical promotion is non-ethical and that there is a mutual influence between them toward establishing the unhealthy state. Physicians contribute to this unhealthy state through their demanding attitudes they practice on medical representatives, which results from the promotion activities. These relationships impact the pharmacy business, pharmacist dispensing behaviours and the ethical status of the medicine profession. Participants reflected a high level of concern that the physicians' attitudes directly contribute in establishing undesirable promotional activities as they request for services in exchange for prescriptions. Moreover, physicians considered that they were entitled for these services from the pharmaceutical companies, as pharmaceutical companies earn profits from their prescribing. Physicians' low income is considered a contributing factor for a need to enhance their income through pharmaceutical services; and pharmaceutical companies take this opportunity to tempt the physicians. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that relationships between healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical companies are common and conflict with the ethical criteria of drug promotion, also that the influence between them is mutual. At the end of this study, suggestions are given to help health policy makers and regulatory bodies understand and address the current controversial relationship involving pharmaceutical companies and physicians.