THE INFLUENCE OF AN ACADEMIC REPRESENTATIVE ON PRESCRIBING BY GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS

1 The effect of providing information about medicines by a short 'sales' interview between individual general practitioners and an 'academic representative' on prescribing was investigated. 2 The promotional campaign was designed to encourage a rational approach to prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents in an intervention group of 101 general practitioners selected at random from the Leeds Family Practitioner Committee (FPC). The remaining general practitioners in the Leeds FPC acted as a reference group. 3 The prescribing data for each group for 5 months immediately prior to and 5 months following intervention were compared. 4 Intervention produced a significant increase (P < 0.005) in the prescribing cost of ibuprofen, the non-steroidal promoted as first choice agent, which was sustained for at least 5 months. 5 Prescribing of the second choice agent, piroxicam, decreased in the reference group but not in the intervention group. 6 There was a decrease in the average prescribing cost of Pound 6.60 per doctor per month in the intervention group compared with the reference group.