Table 5 Some quotes from focus groups on participants’ opinions about key features of drug information
Feature | Quotes |
|---|---|
Reliability | “… information is reliable when it is transmitted by an authoritative source …” |
“… world-famous opinion leaders … big shots, who have great experience and have done pivotal studies … when they talk, we just listen …” | |
(in scientific research) “… the presence of authoritative and independent researchers is important …” | |
(in scientific journals) “…drugs can be evaluated by researchers outside the sponsor company …” | |
“… if the goal is improving patient care I trust it … I don’t if we talk about piddling … | |
Completeness | “… it’s necessary to look at everything … let’s not just look at positive data … every drug has weaknesses and knowing about them would bring added value to info …” |
“ … comparative information to understand which drug is better for one patient and which for another one …” | |
“… if you don’t relate information to everyday practice, what is the use of it?…” | |
Usability | “… easily accessible, through the web … in Pubmed … possibly free of charge …” |
“… not too detailed … or pompous … it should be strict to the point … providing hints that I can deepen on my own …” | |
“… when I ask for information, drug reps bring it to me the day after …” | |
“… I like information targeting specific needs … personalized …” | |
(guidelines refer to populations) “different from your own patients … in different countries they say different things … you cannot read them in one minute … they are huge …” | |
Exchange | “… I would like talking with colleagues … they may have more experience with specific types of patients … sometimes I don’t know how to manage them… I’d like getting help to choose the right drug for each patient …” |
“… people with field experience … with knowledge that you can’t find anywhere …” | |
“… information-sharing is really enriching … it creates synergy … it is quick, maybe directly at bedside … it refers to real situations, unlike statistics in congresses …” | |
“… let’s talk about real cases … there is a wide array of patients … they are different from theory … we also cure immigrants …” | |
Transparency – conflicts of interest | (drug reps) “… you know which side they are on and they are honest in admitting that …” |
(sponsored symposia) “… it is clear who is behind them … knowing it, we don’t have any problem …” |