Study Says Small Promotional Items From Drug Companies
May Influence Medical Students’ Implicit Attitudes

Coral Gables, Fla. – May 12, 2009 – Exposure to small promotional items from pharmaceutical companies to build awareness of a given product, such as clipboards and notepads, appears to influence medical students’ unconscious or implicit attitudes says new research from University of Miami School of Business Administration, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The findings are published in the May 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA/Archives journal.

Students whose medical school restricts marketing practices had less favorable implicit attitudes toward a given pharmaceutical product following exposure to these marketing items, while those at a school with no such limitations responded more favorably.

“There has been much discussion about the influence of large gifts and payments from pharmaceutical companies and the ethics involved as it relates to influence,” said Barbara E. Kahn, one of the study’s researchers and dean of the University of Miami School of Business Administration.  “This study shows that no matter the size of the gift mere  exposure to a branded item can affect implicit attitudes towards the brand.”

The study involved a controlled experiment of 352 third- and fourth-year medical students. Of these, 154 were enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which has a policy prohibiting most gifts, meals and samples from drug companies. The other 198 attended the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, which permitted these marketing practices.

Of the total study participants, 181 were randomly assigned and unknowingly exposed to small branded promotional items for the cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor through the use of a branded a clipboard and notepad  when they signed in to participate in the study. The other 171 students signed in using unbranded clipboards and notepads.  All of the participants completed a test of implicit attitudes toward Lipitor (one of the most heavily promoted brand-name statins in the United States) and Zocor (which is available generically and considered to be equally effective). The test involved matching the brands to attitudes towards the drug (such as pleasant and unpleasant) in a computerized image- and word-association test. Differences in reaction times helped reveal unconscious attitudes. The students also reported their explicit (conscious) attitudes toward both drugs by completing a questionnaire about safety, superiority, efficacy, and convenience.

“Overall, we found that fourth year students at the University of Miami exposed to Lipitor promotional items had more favorable implicit attitudes towards Lipitor compared to the control group while the effect was reversed at the University of Pennsylvania where restrictive policies were already in place limiting pharmaceutical marketing,” said Kahn.

There were no differences between the control and exposure groups among third-year students. This could be because fourth-year students have more clinical experience and have formed attitudes toward treatment options that can be primed with branded promotional items, added Kahn.

NOTE TO EDITORS:  The full report is available upon request.

About the School of Business Administration
The University of Miami School of Business Administration is a leading business school, offering undergraduate business, full-time MBA, Executive MBA, MS, PhD and non-degree executive education programs. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Miami, the School is located in a major hub of international trade and commerce and acclaimed for the global orientation and diversity of its faculty, students and curriculum. The School delivers its programs at its main campus in Coral Gables as well as at locations across Florida and abroad. More information about the University of Miami School of Business can be found at www.bus.miami.edu.

Media Contact:
Tracy Simon
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