Published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, this study states that most general practitioners are not informed during medical visits about the side effects of drugs.
This study, conducted between 2009 and 2010 via questionnaires completed by doctors after each medical visit, is extremely documented and comprehensive.
255 doctors participated and answered the questionnaire following a total of 1,692 medical visits. The purpose of the questionnaire was to understand and analyze the information transmitted to doctors by medical visitors.
In conclusion, the survey reveals that in the majority of cases, except in France, medical representatives do not provide any information on the most frequent or dangerous side effects, and that they do not specify the type of patient for whom the drug is contraindicated.
Doctors say that the correct delivery of safety information is limited to 1.7% of visits. The study also shows that information on side effects is frequently given in Toulouse (61%), less in Montreal, Vancouver (34%) or Sacramento (39%). It also appears that serious adverse events are only declared at 5%. Yet 45% of medical visits concerned dangerous drugs.
Despite this, physicians nonetheless consider the quality of scientific information to be good or excellent in 54% of cases and declare themselves “ready to prescribe” in 64% of cases the drug presented.
Barbara Mintzes, lead author of the study, reveals that it is extremely rare for medical visits to be vetted and for penalties to be taken for misinformation provided.
It therefore notes that serious secondary risks are only mentioned in 6% of medical visits.
France seems to stand out! Indeed, the surveys carried out in Toulouse show that the doctors were better informed of the side effects by the medical examination. The researchers attribute these differences to the fact that medical visits in France are more regulated.
