Nurse practitioners’ perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing

Title.  Nurse practitioners’ perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing. Aim.  This paper reports on a study conducted to describe family nurse practitioners’ perceptions towards and participation in pharmaceutical marketing and to explore the relationships among related variables. Background.  The pharmaceutical industry’s intense global marketing strategies have resulted in widespread concern in healthcare professionals and professional groups, sectors of the public in many countries, and in the World Health Organization. Research on healthcare providers’ participation in pharmaceutical marketing indicates that these relationships are conflicts of interests and compromise healthcare providers’ prescribing practices and trust. Nursing, as a discipline, appears to be slow to address the impact of pharmaceutical marketing on nursing practice. Method.  Questionnaires about perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing were completed by a random sample of 84 licensed family nurse practitioners in the United States of America in 2007. Findings.  Family nurse practitioners viewed pharmaceutical company marketing uncritically as educational and beneficial. They also perceived other providers but not themselves as influenced by pharmaceutical marketing. The findings supported those found in previous research with nurses and physicians. Conclusion.  Lack of education, participation in marketing and psychological and social responses may impede family nurse practitioners’ ability to respond critically and appropriately to marketing strategies and the conflict of interest it creates.