Pharmaceutical marketing: impact on prescribing behavior for rheumatic diseases. A quasi-experiment with multivariate logistic regression
Keywords:
docepharmaceutical marketing, social communication, prescribing behavior, rheumatic diseases, specialists, general practitionersAbstract
Introduction: The interaction between the pharmaceutical industry and clinical practice is a field of study that has evolved in parallel with the transformation of pharmaceutical markets. Therefore, if prescribing behavior is a clinical procedure that must be governed by the best available scientific evidence, any external influence that may bias it—positively or negatively—deserves to be identified, measured, and understood.
Objective: To evaluate how pharmaceutical marketing and social communication influence the prescribing behavior of healthcare professionals regarding rheumatic diseases in Ecuador.
Methods: A prospective, quasi-experimental study was conducted from January to June 2025. The study group and the control group were included, ensuring that both groups were comparable based on meeting the previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Results: Physicians over 50 years of age had both a higher frequency (Exp. B = 6.13; p = 0.027) and a higher likelihood of initial preference (OR = 4.01; p = 0.011). At the same time, specialists were cautious, with a lower frequency (Exp. B = -5.04; p = 0.049) and a lower likelihood of choosing the medication (OR = 0.33; p = 0.031).
Conclusions: The usefulness of this research lies in providing data that goes beyond mere speculation about the effect of pharmaceutical marketing promotional strategies. Finally, for rheumatology, relevance is critical. The research demonstrates that promotion modifies prescribing behavior in directions that do not always coincide with clinical guidelines, opening up the possibility of interventions aimed at reducing unjustified therapeutic variability, optimizing resource use, and improving equity in access. Knowledge of influencing factors becomes an indispensable tool to ensure that therapeutic decisions remain focused on the patient's benefit and not on external stimuli.
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