Pharmaceutical and medical device companies apply social psychology to influence
physicians’ prescribing behavior and decision-making. Physicians fail to recognize their
vulnerability to commercial influences due to self-serving bias, rationalization, and cognitive
dissonance. Professionalism offers little protection; even the most conscious and genuine
commitment to ethical behavior cannot eliminate unintentional, subconscious bias. Six principles
of influence—reciprocation, commitment, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity—are key
to the industry’s routine marketing strategies, which rely on the illusion that the industry is a
generous avuncular partner to physicians. In order to resist industry influence, physicians must
accept that they are vulnerable to subconscious bias and have both the motivation and means to
resist industry influence. A culture in which accepting industry gifts engenders shame rather than
gratitude will reduce conflicts of interest. If greater academic prestige accrues to distant rather
than close relationships with industry, a new social norm may emerge that promotes patient care
and scientific integrity. In addition to educating faculty and students about the social psychology
underlying sophisticated but potentially manipulative marketing and about how to resist it,
academic medical institutions should develop strong organizational policies to counteract the
medical profession’s improper dependence on industry.
Read the paper here:
http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=72200902509007011209400309608412000200007100903
10610371250970931190091001091021161010990381070610100250280920890941170680990990070
10093003076115102097126000086102029057035000100066107092125001000067027028&EXT
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Read the paper here:
http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=72200902509007011209400309608412000200007100903
10610371250970931190091001091021161010990381070610100250280920890941170680990990070
10093003076115102097126000086102029057035000100066107092125001000067027028&EXT
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