Pharmaceutical Industry Sponsorship and the NP Prescriber: Policy and Practice Implications

Pharmaceutical marketing has become ubiquitous in today's society. Acquisition of nonbiased, evidence-based information on drugs is essential for prescribers and is a key component of continuing professional development in the health professions. However, the process by which prescribers obtain information on drugs has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade as institutional and legislative entities have questioned the propriety of health profession education that is funded by the pharmaceutical industry. This article provides important policy perspectives for this timely debate for nurse practitioners.