Direct-to-physician marketing: is it true?

A study undergoing open peer-review in the USA has looked into the degree to which drug companies' marketing materials directed at physicians are truthful and useful.

In the overwhelming majority of cases (75%), the authors of the report - published in Biomed Central's Family Practice - found that the claims made by companies were valid. The main complaint that researchers Roberto Cardarelli, John Licciardone and Lockwood Taylor had to make was that three of the brochures studied (out of 20), presented data that was different from that in the original published study.

Nevertheless, the authors conclude that doctors should use critical judgement about using marketing materials alone before prescribing a medication.