With rare exceptions, these findings suggest that exposure to pharmaceutical company information is associated with either no effect on physicians' prescribing behavior or with adverse affects (reduced quality, increased frequency, or increased costs). Because most of the studies included in the review were observational studies—the physicians in the studies were not randomly selected to receive or not receive drug company information—it is not possible to conclude that exposure to information actually causes any changes in physician behavior. Furthermore, although these findings provide no evidence for any net improvement in prescribing after exposure to pharmaceutical company information, the researchers note that it would be wrong to conclude that improvements do not sometimes happen. The findings support the case for reforms to reduce negative influence to prescribing from pharmaceutical promotion.
Qui estigui interessat en el tema cal que llegeixi l'article i es formi la seva opinió, jo crec que ja la tinc. Més enllà de pensar en la informació procedent de la indústria, cal reflexionar seriosament sobre la necessitat de difondre informació objectiva des del regulador. El que es gasten els laboratoris en promoció és el doble del que es gasten en recerca (el PLOS ja ho va dir) i el finançament dels medicaments acaba sent públic, per tant es tracta trobar un nou equilibri.
PS. Un exemple del que no seria un nou equilibri ha sorgit aquests dies amb motiu d'una guia de pràctica clínica d'osteoporosi
