Exploring the Drivers of Physicians’ Prescriptions: Evidence from Pharmaceutical Marketing and Professional Determinants

The pharmaceutical industry plays a critical role in healthcare by providing medicines and other therapeutic products while operating in a highly regulated marketing environment. Although numerous studies have examined pharmaceutical marketing practices, limited empirical evidence exists about the factors influencing physicians’ prescribing behavior in Sri Lanka. This study examined the influence of pharmaceutical marketing mix strategies, reputation of the company, knowledge and information from patients, pharmacist-physician collaboration, and peers’ opinion on physicians’ prescribing behaviour. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted using a structured questionnaire administered to 70 physicians practicing in Sri Lanka. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The regression model was statistically significant (F = 14.897, p < 0.001) and explained 37.3% of the variance in physicians’ prescribing behaviour (R² = 0.373). Reputation of the company, knowledge and information from patients’ and peers’ opinions were identified as significant positive predictors of physicians’ prescribing behaviour. In contrast, marketing mix strategies and pharmacist-physician collaboration did not demonstrate statistically significant effects. The findings suggest that physicians’ prescribing decisions in Sri Lanka are influenced more by organizational credibility, patient engagement and professional interactions than by conventional pharmaceutical promotional activities. These findings contribute to the pharmaceutical marketing literature and provide practical insights for pharmaceutical companies seeking to develop more effective and ethically responsible engagement strategies