Abstract
BACKGROUND: The involvement and sponsorship of pharmaceutical and medical technology (MedTech) companies in deprescribing and medication optimization activities raise questions about conflicts of interest. We surveyed registrants and attendees of previous International Conferences on Deprescribing to explore views on the acceptability and impact of such involvement and sponsorship.
METHODS: We conducted two unlinked, anonymous cross-sectional surveys among all participants of the 2022 and 2024 International Conferences on Deprescribing (376 unique email addresses). The first survey addressed pharmaceutical companies; the second focused on MedTech. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Free-text responses were analysed thematically.
FINDINGS: The response rate was 33% (n = 116/355) for the pharmaceutical survey and 20% (n = 68/335) for the MedTech survey. Trust in deprescribing information was low for pharmaceutical companies, with 52% reporting distrust (n = 47/91). Trust was somewhat higher for MedTech companies, with 27% expressing distrust (n = 14/52). Forty-eight percent (n = 42/87) said they would be less likely to attend an international deprescribing conference with pharmaceutical sponsorship versus 26% (n = 13/49) for MedTech. Among clinicians and clinician-scientists who completed the survey, 27% (n = 18/67) said pharmaceutical companies, and 27% (n = 10/37) said MedTech companies, somewhat or very much influence their deprescribing decisions.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite broad scepticism about private-sector involvement and sponsorship of deprescribing activities, views varied.