Verispan survey: 79% of physicians encourage Internet use

The results of a pharmaceutical company image survey, conducted by US health care informatics specialists Verispan, found that 79% of physicians said they encouraged patients to use the Internet as a source of medical information. In addition, 31% of patients questioned said that they use the WebMD site for information purposes, with the Google and Yahoo search engines mentioned as a source by 7% and 4%, respectively. The Mayo Clinic was used by 3% of those who participated.

The survey is part of Verispan's biennial analysis of drug firms and the pharmaceutical industry, which examines patient and health care professional perceptions. The 2006 version, which is the eighth such survey, is designed to allow brand management specialists and market researchers to evaluate a drug firm's physician and patient recognition. 19% of respondents purchase drugs on-line

The survey also revealed that 19% of patients questioned said that had bought prescription products over the Internet, with elderly consumers being more likely to do so than those under the age of 55 (26% versus 17%, respectively).