Drug Promo Meetings "Up 61% Since 1995"

The number of meetings and events to promote prescription drugs hasrisen 61% since 1995, and drugmakers are relying more on these meetings to market their products to doctors, says health consulting firm Scott-Levin's Physician Meeting and Event Audit.

The Audit found that in the 12 months to April 1997, 148,000 meetings and events were held, with 1.6 million attendees, and that attendance by doctors was up 40%.

About 100 corporations spent a total of $945 million to promote 60 drug classes during the period, it says, adding that the top 10 companies in spending for meetings/events were Pfizer, Merck & Co, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Glaxo Wellcome, Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, Schering-Plough, American Home Products, Warner-Lambert and Eli Lilly.