Objectives: To sensitize the medical interns regarding aspects of WHO criteria and other essential information for drug promotion and to determine the impact of teaching critical appraisal of promotional literature.

Methods: 151 medical interns answered a pre-test questionnaire .They were also asked to evaluate  five promotional literatures for pre knowledge testing of  ability to identify violations of existing WHO guidelines for promotional literature. This was followed by a lecture on WHO criteria for drug promotional literature and other related important information required for prescribing any drug (Indication, ADR, Monitoring, contraindications, drug interactions, clinical trial results, medical body recommendation, specialist testimonials, Significance of references presented).This activity was followed by small group discussions. End of the session, each intern had to answer a post-test questionnaire and was evaluated accordingly.

Result: Statistically significant improvement (p< 0.0001) was observed in post-test questionnaire score as regards to the gain in knowledge about all the WHO criteria that appeared in promotion literature. These criteria were required for prescribing any drug (eg .brand name, ADR, etc.).The success of training interns for other essential information required for prescribing tool, reflected as a statistical significant improvement in knowledge (p< 0.0001) in the post-test evaluation.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of training medical interns on the topic of “critical appraisal of drug promotional literature”.  It is reasonable to conclude that the problem of irrational drug use may significantly reduce, if prescribing doctors are able to critically appraise the claims made in drug promotional materials. Future prescribing practices may improve if the necessary skills and critical attitudes for rational therapy are strengthened during the internship of medical undergraduates.

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Tiwari S.A

Lecture, Department of Pharmacology

BJ Government Medical College, Pune, India