Influence of an e-mail with a drug information attachment on sales of prescribed drugs: a randomized controlled study.
BACKGROUND
To provide doctors with producer-independent information to facilitate choice of treatment is an important task. The objective of the present study was to evaluate if an e-mail with a drug information attachment has effects on sales of prescribed drugs and if the design of the attachment is of importance.


METHODS
The Swedish pharmaceutical benefit board found rizatriptan (Maxalt) 10 mg to be the most cost-effective triptan. All 119 heads of primary care units in western Sweden were randomized to receive information concerning this conclusion via (i) e-mail with attachment I, (ii) e-mail with attachment II or (iii) no information (control). Attachment I was a short one (heading plus three lines text), whereas attachment II was a long one (heading plus one page text and one page with tables). The change in percentage rizatriptan of total triptans sold before and after the intervention (May - July 2004 and May - July 2005, respectively) was compared between the groups.


RESULTS
Totally 48,229 (2004) and 50,674 (2005) defined daily doses of triptans were prescribed and sold during May - July in primary care units in the western part of Sweden. The absolute change in percentage rizatriptan was greater in the intervention groups compared with the control group 2 (25th - 75th percentile: -3 - 7) vs 0 (-7 - 5), P = 0.031). The absolute change in percentage rizatriptan did not differ between the two attachment groups (P = 0.93).


CONCLUSIONS
An e-mail with a drug information attachment may influence sales of prescribed drugs. No difference between different designs of the attachment could be detected.
Edward
Christina
C
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. christina.edward@vgregion.se
Himmelmann
Anders
A
Wallerstedt
Susanna M
SM
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D018579:Patient Selection; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D014230:Triazoles / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014230:Triazoles; D014363:Tryptamines; C093622:rizatriptan