Oral

To reach those who prescribe medicines, the major drug-makers assembled large numbers of sales representatives who they call detailers. The industry trains the detailers and oversees regular face-to-face meetings they have with those prescribing drugs now or in the future, particularly physicians and medical students. With scripts provided by drug-makers, detailers commonly promoted expensive medicines. They have been known to obscure scientific findings regarding the safety of these medicines. Efforts to address problems caused by detailing are now gaining momentum. To provide physicians with information on medicines that rigorously promotes the use of high quality scientific research, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is providing up-to-date and highly readable reports on the safety and effectiveness of medicines. In order that physicians will be more likely to use these kinds of reports, it is necessary to see that educators present them to physicians in face-to-face meetings. In a number of states, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and physicians have been trained to provide this service, are providing this high-quality information, and are beginning to change physicians' prescribing patterns to increase the use of safer and less expensive medicines. The presenters in this session have extensive experience in arranging and promoting academic detailing. They will share their experience in this work and outline its prospects under the Obama Administration and in the states.

Session Objectives: Describe how academic detailing programs work, their cost effectiveness, their growth in the United States, and potential federal support for these programs. Describe the characteristics of comparative effectiveness research, federal work supporting it, and how it can be used to support the safer and more cost effective prescribing of medicines.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)