The general practitioner-drug representative interaction: an ethical perspective

While the debate regarding the pharmaceutical representative-practitioner relationship is often an emotive one, it is clear that practitioners need the pharmaceutical industry to deliver new and better treatments. The doctor must acknowledge the potential of being subtly influenced by interaction with drug representatives and embrace ways to counterbalance it. Application of a simple ‘1:1 minute rule’ is one possible method to counteract potential for bias and enhance the relationship between the drug representative and the prescriber to the benefit of the patient.