There is no lack of evidence that pharmaceutical manufacturers have in recent years intensified their advertising and promotional activities and introduced new techniques to persuade prescribers to use their products.In the 3 March issue of The Lancet there is a comment on how a campaign is being waged to limit the influence of drug companies on the prescribing habits of doctors in the US.A charitable trust in Philadelphia is funding a national campaign calculated to reduce advertising influence on prescribing practice.Called the Prescription Project,it will promote guidelines that either ban or severely restrict many current practices in the realm of prescribing.It will examine manufacturers'practices in communicating with doctors,doctors-in-training and medical students,including the provision of free meals and gifts such as pens,notepads and drug samples.
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