If you read the drug industry’s marketing codes there seems to be a growing consensus that whilst big gifts are bad, small gifts are, if not good, at least ok.
But is there any logic in this distinction? Probably not.
Social psychologists have long recognized peoples’ need to respond when they receive a gift, no matter how small it is. One study showed that even leaving one or two mints with a bill at the end of a meal boosted the tip that a waiter received. And whilst you may be aware of this ‘norm of reciprocity’ when the gift is a large one, it effectively slips under the radar if it is smaller. As a result, the recipient is less aware that the way they are responding is influenced by that little gift they have received.
These small gifts are having an impact in other ways too. It can’t be an accident that many of these gifts (pens, notepads, mugs) are designed to sit around on your desk most of the time. Couple this with ubiquitous branding and one finds a constant reminder carefully wedged into the medical professional’s subconscious.
Of course it is good that some companies now acknowledge that it is unacceptable to shower doctors with holidays, expensive meals or various electrical appliances. The conflict of interest that this created for a prescribing medical professional no doubt led to some less than optimum prescribing behavior and undermined public confidence and trust. But we shouldn’t pretend that small gifts are any less persuasive.
The simplest thing to do is clear up any sensitivity over size, vagueness over value, or confusion over cultural sensitivity and just ban the lot!
These small gifts are having an impact in other ways too. It can’t be an accident that many of these gifts (pens, notepads, mugs) are designed to sit around on your desk most of the time. Couple this with ubiquitous branding and one finds a constant reminder carefully wedged into the medical professional’s subconscious.
Of course it is good that some companies now acknowledge that it is unacceptable to shower doctors with holidays, expensive meals or various electrical appliances. The conflict of interest that this created for a prescribing medical professional no doubt led to some less than optimum prescribing behavior and undermined public confidence and trust. But we shouldn’t pretend that small gifts are any less persuasive.
The simplest thing to do is clear up any sensitivity over size, vagueness over value, or confusion over cultural sensitivity and just ban the lot!
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