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| Authors | B Vella Briffa A M Scerri K B Theuma |
| Abstract | Aim: To survey the attitudes of fourth and fifth year medical students in Malta towards pharmaceutical marketing. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed containing several questions designed to assess reactions to statements based on a modified five-point Likert scale. Results: Response rate was 81 out of 110 (73.6%). The majority of respondents (78.7%) do not object to interactions with pharmaceutical companies in medical school. Almost all (96.3%) have no objection to sponsorship of educational seminars. The majority (78.0%) are not against receiving gifts from pharmaceutical companies in general, males more than females (84.0% vs 71.0%). Respondents are most willing to accept a penlight (87.7%), followed by a textbook (85%), stethoscope (81.8%), lunch (75.9%), electronic organiser (69.6%), entertainment tickets (63.7%), and least willing to accept a watch/jewellery (46.2%). Almost half of respondents (46.3%) stated that when prescribing from a choice of drugs that are otherwise identical, they would preferentially prescribe a drug from a company that provided them with gifts or incentives over one that did not. Almost a quarter of respondents (23.8%) believe that information provided about drug effectiveness from pharmaceutical companies is untrustworthy. Conclusions: Fourth and fifth year medical students in Malta are largely unopposed to interacting with pharmaceutical companies and receiving gifts from them, especially if medically-related, and would preferentially prescribe drugs from companies that provided gifts and incentives. Results also point towards a general mistrust of information provided by pharmaceutical companies. It will be interesting to compare these responses to those of medical students in other countries. |
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| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
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| Key words | attitude, medical students, pharmaceutical, marketing |