Content analysis of drug-detailing by pharmaceutical representatives.

Drug detailing is important in drug prescribing. This report describes a study made on drug presentations to groups of doctors in Helsinki. The method was silent observation of presentations given by medical representatives. Analysis of the content of the presentations revealed that side-effects and contraindications were often neglected; the drug presented was always recommended as the drug of choice; other forms of treatment were seldom mentioned. References to Finnish doctors doing clinical trials with the drugs were often made. Even though this study was restricted, its results show that drug detailing and its significance in post-graduate education call for more attention.