Attitude towards pharmaceutical promotional tools and its influence on physicians’ prescribing behaviour in Sudan

Abstract

Purpose Due to the proliferation of generic medicines, pharmaceutical marketing has become increasingly competitive, and marketing executives are now focusing their attention on understanding the prescribing behaviour of physicians to enable them to devise marketing strategies that would put them at a superior business position relative to their competitors. Previous studies carried out either lack a sound theoretical foundation, or report contrasting results, making generalizations sketchy. Thus, a better understanding of attitude-prescribing axiom is needed. Underpinned by the theory of reasoned action (TRA), this study aims to empirically examine the factors that predict the prescribing behaviour of physicians. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model was developed and tested on a sample of 355 respondents drawn from 76 private and 50 public hospitals in Sudan. The data set from the questionnaire survey included both general practitioners (N = 200) and specialists (N = 155). Primary data gathered were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The findings reveal that the prescribing behaviour of physicians is positively influenced by the physician’s attitude towards direct marketing, personal selling, educational travel and public relations, but negatively influenced by gifts. Besides, the moderating effect of subjective norms showed no significant influence on the relationship between attitude and prescribing behaviour. However, gender seems to moderate the attitude towards health sector-related charity on prescribing behaviour and the attitude towards scientific conferences on prescribing behaviour. Research limitations/implications The findings gathered from this study offers a significant contribution to the ongoing debate on the essential factors that influence the prescribing behaviour of physicians in the hospital setting. Originality/value By examining the essential factors that predict physicians’ prescribing behaviour, pharmaceutical companies can improve their understanding of physicians’ attitudes towards the pharmaceutical promotional tools. This is an aspect that is ill reflected in the literature.

Launching a new brand in the multi-brand portfolio: real world observational study evaluating mediating role of detailing priority and detailing time on physicians’ prescription behavior

“…The health-care industry is a knowledge-intensive sector wherein the pharmaceutical industry acts as one of the major sources of information for physicians (McGettigan et al , 2001; Ion et al , 2021; Menebo, 2021; Eldrwish et al , 2022). The aim of pharmaceutical marketing is to disseminate information about effective therapeutic options, the launch of new medicines and new evidence of established drugs among physicians (Levy, 1994; Menebo, 2021; Morgan and Zane, 2022).…”

“…As a result, companies are not allowed to promote their drugs directly to patients (Pettijohn et al , 2010; Alkhateeb et al , 2011; Rahul and Prakash, 2022). Therefore, the pharmaceutical sales force plays a significant role in the promotion of drugs (Ahearne et al , 2010; Sanyal et al , 2017; Sohrabi et al , 2019; Menebo, 2021; Eldrwish et al , 2022; Rhee and Yi, 2022). The success of pharmaceutical manufacturers in the prescription market depends on how best they can market a prescription drug as compared to how much patent protection they enjoy (Hollon, 2004; Stros et al , 2009).…”

“…In the prescription generation process, PSR, physician and patient are key stakeholders where a physician is the decision maker who makes the choice of drugs on behalf of patients ( Stros et al ., 2009; Srivastava and Bodkhe, 2021; Morgan and Zane, 2022) and PSRs are the most important resource for a pharmaceutical manufacturer who can positively impact the prescription behaviour of a physician (Faisal et al , 2020; Sohrabi et al , 2019; Al Thabbah et al , 2022). A personal visit by PSR is considered one of the most effective ways to promote drugs to a physician (Noah, 1992; Harindranath and Jacob, 2017; Faisal et al , 2020; Eldrwish et al , 2022). PSRs (Jambulingam et al , 2009; Pettijohn et al , 2010) are also known as medical representatives, detail-man (Oldani, 2002) or pharmaceutical detailers.…”

“…Although the previous literature has studied the effect of detailing on physician’s choice of prescription drugs extensively (Gönül et al , 2001; Narayanan et al , 2004; Menebo, 2021; Eldrwish et al , 2022; Morgan and Zane, 2022; Al Thabbah et al , 2022) however, there is limited empirical evidence available about differential effects of DNEB on physician’s prescription behaviour while promoting an MBP. In addition, despite the importance of detailing strategy in practice, surprisingly, the previous research on variables influencing a pharmaceutical firm’s detailing strategy is rare (Rhee and Yi, 2022), and the prior literature has not explored the potential role of DP and DT sufficiently.…”