A qualitative study exploring medical representatives’ views on current drug promotion techniques in Yemen

Medical representatives are a key component of the marketing strategies used to convince physicians to prescribe targeted drugs. The perspectives of medical representatives on the extent and composition of pharmaceutical promotion techniques has been neglected in previous studies. An in-depth interview technique was used to gain a better understanding of the current drug promotion techniques used in Yemen. The seven major themes identified, and explored, in this study of pharmaceutical promotion techniques were educational materials, free samples, symposia and other scientific meetings, invitations, gifts and incentives and commercial offers. Respondents were generally altruistic concerning the patient and were fully conscious of the unethical activities pertaining to drug promotion. They highlighted the need to observe professional ethics, enact laws and establish policies that would sanitise current practice. Free medical samples, bonuses and commissions play a large role in promoting pharmaceutical products. Governments should establish laws, ethics and policies for drug promotion.