Monday, June 30, 2003
Drug representatives may increase unnecessary GP prescribing
General practitioners who see drug companies' representatives at least once a week are more likely to express views that lead to unnecessary prescribing. In a questionnaire survey of the attitudes and behaviours of general practitioners throughout England in relation to their prescribing rates, Watkins and colleagues found that practitioners with the greatest contact with drug representatives were most willing to prescribe new drugs and to comply with patients' requests for drugs that are not clinically indicated (p 1178). The doctors who saw drug representatives most frequently tended to be singlehanded practitioners, did not provide postgraduate training, and worked in deprived areas.
Volume 326, Number 7400, Issue of 31 May 2003
General practitioners who see drug companies' representatives at least once a week are more likely to express views that lead to unnecessary prescribing. In a questionnaire survey of the attitudes and behaviours of general practitioners throughout England in relation to their prescribing rates, Watkins and colleagues found that practitioners with the greatest contact with drug representatives were most willing to prescribe new drugs and to comply with patients' requests for drugs that are not clinically indicated (p 1178). The doctors who saw drug representatives most frequently tended to be singlehanded practitioners, did not provide postgraduate training, and worked in deprived areas.
Volume 326, Number 7400, Issue of 31 May 2003
Outpatient treatment for deep vein thrombosis of the leg is safe
Volume 326, Number 7400, Issue of 31 May 2003
Deep vein thrombosis can be treated on an outpatient basis, without any greater risk of complications. Initial treatment with low molecular weight heparins means that activated partial thromboplastin time need not be monitored. Major haemorrhage during initial treatment is less likely, and overall mortality at the end of follow up is reduced
Volume 326, Number 7400, Issue of 31 May 2003
Deep vein thrombosis can be treated on an outpatient basis, without any greater risk of complications. Initial treatment with low molecular weight heparins means that activated partial thromboplastin time need not be monitored. Major haemorrhage during initial treatment is less likely, and overall mortality at the end of follow up is reduced
Volume 326, Number 7400, Issue of 31 May 2003
Outcomes in research that is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company tend to favour the company's product
Outcomes in research that is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company tend to favour the company's product
