LAUSR

This research focuses on the marketing promotional tools used by pharmaceutical companies in India and how doctors respond to all these marketing strategies in terms of their prescription behaviour. Simple random sampling method was chosen for selection of samples. Out of a total of 180 questionnaires sent to different cadres of physicians/ doctors in the city of Rajasthan either in person or through e-mail and only 152 responses were received in complete form. The gathered data were processed through SPSS. The detailed analysis of the study revealed that about 62% of doctors admit to being influenced by promotional strategies employed by pharmaceutical companies. Further, irrespective of forms of marketing and drug promotion by pharmaceutical companies, the socioeconomic status of the patient remained a key consideration in the prescription of medication. The results of chi-square test revealed a significant difference in the perception of different cadre of doctors on need for drug presentation as a marketing promotion tool and benefit for attending drug presentation/product launches.