Medical advertising in times of network medicine
Abstract
This article aims to evaluate doctors’ knowledge on medical marketing through a prospective crosssectional study, using a self-applied questionnaire that included sociodemographic data, knowledge and
opinion on the topic. Results show that 60.7% and 67.5% of doctors graduated from private and public institutions, respectively, claimed having no contact with the subject during their undergraduate studies;
62.9% said they had faced difficulties due to lack of knowledge regarding the topic; and 94.5% felt the need to learn more after answering the questionnaire. The participants showed good knowledge, with specific difficulties regarding the dissemination of works, products and population-wide health warnings. In conclusion, undergraduate courses should include the topic in their formal curriculum and elaborate more objective educational measures.