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Doctors’ Interactions with Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives: Modelling Doctors Prescription Behaviour

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Abstract

Using theory of planned behaviour, this study seeks to examine the effect of health practitioner’s interaction with pharmaceutical sales representatives on their prescription behaviour. Data was collected from 248 health practitioners working in the city of Attock and from five Tehsils of Attock District through questionnaires with a net response rate of 82%. The hypothesis was tested by PLS Path Modelling. The major findings of the study were that physicians’ interactions with pharmaceutical sales representatives in terms of market knowledge, product knowledge, corporate reputation and tangible rewards affect the prescription behaviour of physicians directly as well as through the mediating effect of the attitudinal component. The findings of the study would be helpful for the pharmaceutical industry as well as for drug regulatory authorities and health policy makers towards unethical practices in the medical field. Study provided practical implications for policy makers and health practitioners. Moreover, future directions for research were also provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus, Attock, 43600, Pakistan

    Aini Faisal & Muhammad Shakil Ahmad

  2. College of Hotel & Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-701, Republic of Korea

    Muhammad Shakil Ahmad

  3. School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia

    Ramayah Thurasamy

  4. Internet Innovation Research Center, A212, Newhuadu Business School, Minjiang University, 200 Xiyuangong Road, Shangjie Town, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian, China

    Ramayah Thurasamy

  5. Department of Management Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Riaz Ahmed

Authors
  1. Aini Faisal
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  2. Muhammad Shakil Ahmad
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  3. Ramayah Thurasamy
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  4. Riaz Ahmed
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Correspondence to Muhammad Shakil Ahmad.

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Faisal, A., Ahmad, M.S., Thurasamy, R. et al. Doctors’ Interactions with Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives: Modelling Doctors Prescription Behaviour. Community Ment Health J 56, 456–463 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00501-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00501-w

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