Pharmaceutical promotions and conflict of interest in nurse practitioner's decision making: The undiscovered country

Purpose

To increase nurse practitioners’ (NPs) awareness of the conflict of interest that exists between the NPs’ primary goal of making the best medication choices for patients and the potentially negative impact that the pharmaceutical industry's marketing strategies have on these choices.

Data sources

Selected healthcare professional, philosophical, and bioethical literature was reviewed.

Conclusions

Healthcare professionals are given gifts, dinners, and other inducements in the drug industry's effort to increase consumerism and drug sales. The current method of drug promotion increases sales but also increases healthcare expenses. Research also indicates that the pharmaceutical marketing strategies influence the judgments that NPs and other healthcare professionals make about patient care and drug prescriptions.

Implications

Guidelines are presented that can reduce the likelihood that any conflict of interest that exists will influence NPs’ decisions about patient care.