James C Kawano

Management of Drug Information Inquiries from Health Care Professionals: An Industry-Wide Survey

Fifty-one pharmaceutical companies were selected for this survey designed to examine the logistics of operation regarding drug information inquiries from health care professionals and to compare operations of large and small companies. The survey was conducted in two phases: first by telephone contact to identify the appropriate person to complete the survey and to answer several initial questions, and second by a follow-up written questionnaire. The total sample (N = 51) was divided into three groups; the upper third (N = 17) and lower third (N = 17) were designated “large” and “small” companies, respectively. While significantly greater for large companies, both large and small companies spent more time on drug information inquiries than four other identified areas. The reporting line of most companies was Medical; staffing (rank order) consisted primarily of physicians, pharmacists, and PhDs. On average, companies handled 8376 inquiries per year. Most companies utilized computer-assisted literature services and in-house computer-based systems.