Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Ahmed Taher, Elnora W. Stuart and Ibrahim Hegazy

Pharmaceutical companies' marketing strategies have traditionally targeted only physicians and, more recently, consumers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the…

2015

Abstract

Purpose

Pharmaceutical companies' marketing strategies have traditionally targeted only physicians and, more recently, consumers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the pharmacist as prescriber, influencer, switcher, and dispenser of pharmaceutical drugs in one developing country, Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed pharmacists in Cairo, Egypt. The pharmacists were asked to estimate the percentages of patients who came in with a prescription, with only a box or a recommendation for a medicine and with only symptoms, and whether he/she switched the patient to another medicine. Pharmacies were classified as to the social class of the pharmacy neighborhoods. Cluster analysis was used to further classify pharmacists as “Influencers” and “Non‐influencers”.

Findings

Overall the pharmacists influence 39 percent of all purchase decisions for pharmaceuticals with higher levels of influence in lower social class neighborhoods. Approximately one out of four pharmacists was classified as an Influencer.

Practical implications

In developing countries, the pharmacist plays a key role in which medicines patients ultimately purchase. Marketing activities directed toward the pharmacist may provide an important opportunity to maximize the pharmaceutical firms' return on marketing investment.

Originality/value

Few studies have looked at the marketing of pharmaceutical drugs in developing countries. This paper is unique in that it examines the role of the pharmacist in these markets, thus providing an important addition to the understanding of the challenges to the industry in these countries and important implications for pharmaceutical marketing strategies.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Avinandan Mukherjee

378

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050