Relationships of physicians with pharmaceutical sales representatives and pharmaceutical companies: an exploratory study.

Physicians were surveyed in Northwestern Pennsylvania to examine how they viewed their relationships with pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSR) and the pharmaceutical industry. Physicians viewed the PSR as an important source of information, but felt that they could get needed information from other sources without the PSR's assistance. Physicians also had friendly relations with PSRs and did not distrust them, but they did not view PSRs as a vital part of their practice. Samples and gifts provided by the pharmaceutical companies were not viewed as vital to gaining access to physicians. However, the financial support the companies provided for continuing medical education was seen as vital. The selling approaches used by PSRs was not considered as manipulative, nor were PSRs thought to be perceived negatively by the medical community. A majority of the physicians said they would accept honoraria for delivering lectures to pharmaceutical companies. Twenty-five percent of the responding physicians also owned stock in pharmaceutical companies.