title: Attitudes and beliefs regarding direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs: an exploratory comparison of physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives.
abstract: Even with many changes in regulation in recent years, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceutical drugs remains a complicated and contentious issue. Many in our society argue for increased legislation of DTCA while others believe that DTCA serves a useful purpose and should not be overregulated. This study was designed to compare attitudes and beliefs regarding DTCA held by two key stakeholder groups, physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives. A questionnaire was created, pretested, and administered to 30 physicians and 30 pharmaceutical sales representatives to investigate these issues. Significant differences between these two groups were found and implications for DTCA are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Marketing and Management , University of Nebraska at Omaha , Omaha , Nebraska.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Broekemier
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Burkink
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004345:Drug Industry; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: direct-to-consumer advertising; patient compliance; physicians; sales representatives