Characteristics of the included observational studies
| Study name and funding | Study design | Participants, setting | Exposed group | Control group | Outcomes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boltri et al,10 2002, funding by the Health Resources and Services Administration | Retrospective cohort Charts from two time periods were reviewed for a diagnosis of hypertension | 24 family practice residents and 8 clinical attending physicians at the outpatient clinic of a family practice residency programme in south-eastern USA | 507 hypertensive patients during ‘Period 2’: January and February 1998 after the policy prohibiting samples distribution was implemented in August 1997 | 422 hypertensive patients during ‘Period 1’: January and February 1997 before the policy prohibiting samples distribution was implemented | Effect of policy on prescription of first-line hypertension drugs versus prescription of second-line drugs by all physicians (by JNC VI) | Data collection of the outcome was based on the medical reports of all hypertensive patients during the two study periods |
| Spurling and Mansfield,12 2007, funding not reported | Prospective cohort | 13 out of the 14 (7 part-time general practitioners (GPs), 3 practice nurses, 3 regular reception staff, 1 practice manager) participated Inala Health Centre general practice in Brisbane, Australia | Policy of reduced access to pharmaceutical sales representatives including: reception staff not to make appointments for representatives or accept promotional material; representatives not allowed to access sample cupboards; GPs wishing to see representatives only allowed to do so outside consulting hours | Before policy implementation | Number of prescription per patient (behaviour)Amount of promotional material (no further details provided) Number of samples in the drug cupboard and time booked for pharmaceutical sales representatives (actual implementation of the policy) | Timeframe: 2004 The impact of the policy was evaluated at 3 months and 9 months after its adoption Data collected through audit and staff survey |
| Hartung et al,11 2010, funding partly by an American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Research Stimulation Grant | Segmented linear regression models using locally obtained pharmacy claims | The Madras Medical Group, a family practice clinic employing 5 physicians and 1 physician assistant | After the implementation of a policy restricting access of pharmaceutical sales representatives to the clinic was implemented | Before the implementation of the policy, Oregon Medicaid pharmacy claims were used to control for secular prescribing changes | Percentage of branded drug use (behaviour) Percentage of promoted drug use (behaviour) Average prescription costs (cost) | Time frame: 1 April 2004 to 31 September 2007 The Medicare Part D programme was implemented in January 2006 |
JNC VI, Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.