Original ResearchTarget Locked: Nurse Practitioners and the Influence of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices in Canada

- Nonbiased, evidence-based research is essential to safeguard prescribing practices.
- NPs perceived little conflict of interest regarding pharmaceutical sponsorship of events.
- NPs must increase their understanding of pharmaceutical marketing influences.
- Dialogue should be encouraged between NPs, pharmaceutical representatives, and policy makers.

The influence of marketing activities on prescribing practices of primary health care professionals represents a potential risk to patient health and the integrity of the health profession. Although Canadian nurse practitioners (NPs) identify similar concerns to their American counterparts, acknowledging potential influences of pharmaceutical marketing practices and some of the ethical issues arising from conflict of interest, challenges faced by NPs in Canada are confounded by the lack of authorization to dispense sample medications. NPs identify this as a barrier to effective practice. Work is needed to address educational deficiencies and to provide reliable information on new drugs that remains evidence based.