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Computer Detailing

To advertise drugs, some pharmaceutical companies have turned to internet detailing over face-to-face detailing. In the past, the most common form of advertising was face to face where representatives from the companies would be trained then sent out to meet physicians. During their interaction, the reps convince the physicians to prescribe drugs from the companies that they represent. However, this practice was found to be unethical in some cases where the reps from pharmaceutical companies would give the physicians lavish gifts in exchange for more prescriptions. To do away with this practice, internet detailing has been set up.

Several disadvantages come with the preference for internet detailing. First, there is a loss of personal touch to the whole process. When the company reps meet with the physicians, the doctors gain confidence when they interact with the reps based on the understanding and conviction of the reps. Much of the trust that is built from one-on-one interaction is lost when using computer detailing. Second, the physicians and reps will feel that they are being monitored when they use computer detailing, and hence, they will be quite reluctant to take up new drugs. Physicians will, therefore, tend to use drugs they are more familiar with over new ones that may be more efficient and affordable to their patients. The use of computer detailing also has the disadvantage of allowing physicians to report feedback that may be wrong. Because the reps are not physically present when patients give feedback on the drugs in question, the physician can provide false or altered reports based on different motivations. It is clear that both methods of face to face detailing and internet detailing have their advantages and disadvantages, with ethical concerns being the most prevalent in face-to-face detailing. There needs to be more regulation in the pharmaceutical industry to ensure transparency, especially when releasing new drugs.