In July 2013 at the BMJ/ABPI Conference on medical education the ESHLSG made public the results of its survey on attitudes to industry support of medical education.

1. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED
MEDICAL EDUCATION
Prepared for: Ethical Standards in Health & Life Sciences Group
By: Jane Fligelstone – The Consortium

2. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Objectives of the Survey
• To understand attitudes and beliefs towards Pharmaceutical Sponsored
Medical Education events (PSME)
• To identify what aspects of PSME, if any, cause reputational harm to the
industry / medical community and should be changed or stopped
• To understand what elements of industry support across the spectrum of
education, training and meetings are valued / not valued by the medical
community
NB: This project was funded by the ABPI.

3. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Two Stage Methodology
Qualitative
70 In-Depth Interviews Quantitative
Online Survey
Timings
1485 Responses
Qualitative Research
January – April 2012
Survey live
October 29th 2012 –
February 22nd 2013

4. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Considerations
• This is not intended to be academic research, it is a qualitative and
quantitative survey of attitudes and opinions
• The internet survey was open to all health care professionals, however
participation was not obligatory
• As a result, not all specialties, disciplines or sample groups are
represented
• The research was not intended to provide definitive solutions, it was
designed to provide a platform to develop wider understanding of the
issues

5. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Overall Sample
Total Response
1485
Health Care Professionals
1202
•
Doctor – Primary Care
29
•
Doctor – Secondary Care Excluding Psychiatrists (SCEP)
678
•
Psychiatrist (P)
453
•
Nurse
7
•
Pharmacist / Medicines Management
31
Health Care Manager
21
Pharmaceutical Medicine – Commercial Organisation
126
Pharmaceutical Medicine – Academic Institution
44
None of above
61

6. Results
EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION

7. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
The Future of PSME
Should the industry continue providing Medical Education for HCPs?
SCEP
77%
P
47%
23%
Yes, should continue
53%
No, should not continue

8. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Value of different types of meeting
Extremely valuable
Quite valuable
Not valuable
SCEP
20%
(N=649)
61%
44%
(N=602)
P
19%
49%
13%
Local
7%
National
European
25%
(N=399)
64%
30%
7%
(N=348)
62%
32%
6% International
0%
50%
100%
57%
30%
58%
39%
0%
18%
37%
50%
(N=360)
16%
45%
52%
(N=436)
(N=183)
11%
100%
(N=141)

9. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Key
Considerations
Undue
CHALLENGES
Influence
FACING PSME
Aligning
Agendas
Impact of
PSME
Contribution
from PSME

10. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Undue Influence
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
By allowing so much of medical
education to be provided by
pharmaceutical companies, the NHS is
leaving an opening for bias and undue
influence
SCEP
Attending an Industry sponsored
medical education event means there is
a possibility that HCPs might be
influenced to use a company's products
SCEP
54%
P
24%
66%
16%
11%
84%
0%
22%
18%
80%
P
Disagree/strongly
9%
50%
9%
7%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

11. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Undue Influence
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
The NHS should be wary of the
influence the pharmaceutical industry
could exert through their sponsorship
of medical education
Less experienced/discerning colleagues
may be unduly influenced by medical
education sponsored by the Industry
SCEP
72%
P
13%
81%
SCEP
17%
78%
0%
15%
11%
74%
P
Disagree/strongly
15%
50%
8%
9%
7%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

12. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Aligning Agendas
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
Much of the medical education
provided by the pharmaceutical
industry is directed by their agenda
rather than the needs of HCPs
Pharmaceutical companies must get
some financial benefit from sponsoring
medical education, otherwise they
would not do it
SCEP
51%
P
30%
68%
SCEP
11%
16%
82%
0%
19%
21%
74%
P
Disagree/strongly
12%
50%
10%
6%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

13. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Aligning Agendas
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
It is important to ensure that medical
education events sponsored by the
pharmaceutical industry are nonpromotional
The relationship between HCPs and the
pharmaceutical industry can be
mutually beneficial as long as everyone
knows what the agenda is
Disagree/strongly
SCEP
80%
15%
5%
P
81%
12%
7%
SCEP
82%
9%
9%
P
65%
0%
14%
50%
21%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

14. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Contribution from PSME
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
Pharmaceutical companies have a
responsibility via medical education to
invest in the health care system from
which they derive their profits
The pharmaceutical industry is a
legitimate source of information and
education with regard to new products
SCEP
68%
P
21%
52%
SCEP
23%
73%
P
11%
25%
16%
57%
0%
Disagree/strongly
19%
50%
11%
24%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

15. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Contribution from PSME
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
There is a great deal of scientific
knowledge and expertise within
pharmaceutical companies, so they
have a genuine contribution to make
via sponsored medical education
Medical education is an opportunity for
pharmaceutical companies to put
something back into the NHS
SCEP
68%
P
19%
51%
SCEP
24%
66%
P
43%
0%
Disagree/strongly
13%
25%
18%
24%
50%
16%
33%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

16. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Impact of PSME
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
SCEP
I believe that industry sponsored
medical education improves patient
care
Industry sponsored medical education
meetings allow me to reflect on my
practice and how I might be able to
improve it
54%
P
37%
SCEP
30%
30%
62%
P
16%
33%
21%
45%
0%
Disagree/strongly
23%
50%
17%
32%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

17. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Impact of PSME
Neutral/Don’t know
Agree/strongly
Industry sponsored medical education
helps me keep up to date in my
speciality and as a result my patients
benefit from better care
SCEP
69%
P
17%
51%
0%
Disagree/strongly
22%
50%
14%
27%
100%
Statistically higher/lower than Psychiatrists at
95% level of confidence
Base: SCEP= Secondary Care respondents exc. Psychiatrists n= 678; P=Psychiatrists n=453)

18. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHARMA SPONSORED MEDICAL EDUCATION
Key Findings
• PSME is generally valued and the contribution to the NHS and HCPs is
acknowledged
• Issues that need to be addressed include transparency of agendas,
greater collaboration on educational agendas and clear differentiation
between non-promotional and promotional events
• The research has identified specific areas for the ESHLSG to be explored

19. Thank You
For any questions, please contact: info@eshlsg.org