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Table 4 Provision of information for type of main product discussed

From: Medicines information provided by pharmaceutical representatives: a comparative study in Australia and Malaysia

Information

 

New medicine

 

Old medicine with new information/indication

 

Old medicine with general information

 

Type of product

 

Australia

n/9 (%)

Malaysia

n/41 (%)

Australia

n/18 (%)

Malaysia

n/54 (%)

Australia

n/31 (%)

Malaysia

n/30 (%)

Indications

Yes

8 (89)

39 (96)

17 (94)

49 (91)

27 (87)

28 (93)

 

No

1(11)

1(2)

1 (6)

4 (7)

4 (13)

2 (7)

 

Unsure

0

1(2)

0

1 (2)

0

0

    

^*P = 0.72

   
    

&*P = 0.56

   

Dosage

Yes

7 (78)

35 (85)

14 (78)

45 (83)

23 (74)

23 (77)

 

No

2 (22)

6 (15)

4 (22)

9 (17)

8 (26)

7 (23)

    

^P = 0.95

   
    

&P = 0.62

   

Contraindications

Yes

5 (55)

24 (59)

4 (22)

20 (37)

10 (32)

6 (20)

 

No

3 (33)

17 (41)

13 (72)

32 (59)

21 (68)

23 (77)

 

Unsure

1 (12)

0

1 (6)

2 (4)

0

1 (3)

    

^*P = 0.15

   
    

&*P = 0.01

   

Precautions

Yes

4 (45)

17 (41)

5 (28)

14 (26)

12 (39)

7 (23)

 

No

4 (45)

23 (57)

12 (66)

38 (70)

18 (58)

21 (70)

 

Unsure

1 (12)

1 (2)

1 (6)

2 (4)

1 (3)

2 (7)

    

^*P = 0.59

   
    

&*P = 0.19

   

Drug interactions

Yes

5 (55)

16 (39)

3 (16)

11 (20)

11 (35)

4 (13)

 

No

4 (45)

23 (56)

14 (78)

41 (76)

20 (65)

25 (84)

 

Unsure

0

2 (5)

1 (6)

2 (4)

0

1 (3)

    

^*P = 0.14

   
    

&*P = 0.02

   

Adverse effects

Yes

6 (67)

23 (57)

7 (39)

16 (30)

11 (35)

6 (20)

 

No

3 (33)

17 (41)

11 (61)

34 (63)

19 (62)

22 (73)

 

Unsure

0

1 (2)

0

4 (7)

1 (3)

2 (7)

    

^*P = 0.26

   
    

&*P = 0.01

   
  1. *Chi square test for questions that included variable "unsure" was calculated based on categorical variables "Yes" and "No" only.
  2. ^ P-value (Comparison between type of products: Australia)
  3. & P-value (Comparison between type of products: Malaysia)