Ophthalmology trainees receive little education on interactions with pharmaceutical industry

Am J Ophthalmol. 2009;148(4):619-622.

Ophthalmology trainees interact frequently with pharmaceutical representatives, but consider their peers more likely than themselves to be influenced by promotions, a study showed.

"Pharmaceutical representatives seem able to change prescribing practices among trainees they contact by providing information or leaving drug samples," the study authors said. "Many trainees have not received any education in this area from their programs."

A questionnaire on behavior and attitudes toward interactions with pharmaceutical representatives was sent to 110 ophthalmology programs in the U.S. Responses were received from 122 trainees.

Study data showed 87% of respondents reported seeing visiting pharmaceutical representatives at least once every 1 or 2 months. Most respondents reported accepting gifts from representatives. Twenty-six percent of trainees had changed prescribing habits based on information from representatives, and 77% said they did so because they received drug samples, the authors said.

On questions with ratings of 5 (strongly agree) to 1 (strongly disagree), the average score for pharmaceutical representatives influencing respondents' prescribing practices was 2.72; the average score for pharmaceutical representatives influencing other physicians' prescribing behavior was 3.67, the authors said.

"Although half of the trainees (51%) acknowledge that their programs have guidelines or policies regarding interactions with the pharmaceutical industry, only 28% reported having received training in this area," they said.