title: "Under the radar": nurse practitioner prescribers and pharmaceutical industry promotions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess nurse practitioners' interactions with pharmaceutical industry promotional activities and their perception of information reliability and self-reported prescribing behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered online survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationally randomized sample of nurse practitioner prescribers was surveyed. Eligibility criteria included current clinical practice and licensure to prescribe medications in their state of practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 263 responses were analyzed. Almost all respondents (96%) reported regular contact with pharmaceutical sales representatives, and most (71%) reported receiving information on new drugs directly from pharmaceutical sales representatives some or most of the time. A large portion (66%) dispensed drug samples regularly to their patients, and 73% believed that samples were somewhat or very helpful in learning about new drugs. Eighty-one percent of respondents thought that it was ethically acceptable to give out samples to anyone, and 90% believed that it was acceptable to attend lunch and dinner events sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. Almost half (48%) stated that they were more likely to prescribe a drug that was highlighted during a lunch or dinner event. Most respondents stated that it was ethically acceptable for speakers to be paid by industry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse practitioner prescribers had extensive contact with pharmaceutical industry promotional activities such as pharmaceutical representative contact, receipt of drug samples, and regular attendance at industry-sponsored meal events and continuing education programs. They reported that industry interface with nurse practitioner prescribers in the form of sponsored meals, education events, and paid speakers was ethically acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, 36 First Ave, Boston, MA 02129, USA. eladd@mghihp.edu
authors.forename: Elissa C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ladd
authors.forename: Diane Feeney
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emani
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing / Q000941:ethics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report