dc.description.abstract | This study established the physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists’
perspective on ethical marketing code compliance by the Kenya Association of
Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI) members in Mombasa County. The study focused on
ethical code compliance in regard to the healthcare providers (HCPs) interactions with
pharmaceutical firms in regard to events and meetings, entertainment, sponsorships,
and prohibition of cash and personal gifts. The study was intended to establish the
IFPMA Code compliance level by KAPI members and recommend industry
regulation strategies to ensure adoption of ethical marketing practices. The study was
conducted through cross-sectional survey and data was collected using questionnaire
and interview technique from 20 physicians and 20 pharmacists and pharmaceutical
technologists who were randomly selected from Kenya Medical Association (KMA)
and Kenya Pharmacists Association (KPA) records. The study focused on HCPs
working in private health institutions and data was analyzed using descriptive
statistics and factor analysis, and presented in tables and figures. The study
established that the trend of pharmaceutical marketing in Mombasa County was
unethical as pharmaceutical companies complied with some provisions of the ethical
marketing code while ignoring other provisions. The findings of the study showed
that medical representatives, and physicians and pharmacists (HCPs) carried the
highest responsibility for propagation of unethical practices in the industry. The study
concludes that KAPI members do not fully comply with the provisions of IFPMA
ethical marketing code of practice especially, in cash and personal gifts to HCPs, and
sponsorships. The study recommends that the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB)
make it mandatory for all pharmaceutical firms to adopt the ethical marketing code of
practice in order to avoid unfair competition amongst the industry members, and
ensure that self-regulation provisions are properly enforced and monitored. Finally,
the researcher recommends further research in this area in order to establish the
underlying factors prompting unethical practices and how to overcome them. | en |