Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate existing perceptions and knowledge of pharmacoeconomic analyses, and attitudes towards them, among personnel from the pharmaceutical authorities and the pharmaceutical industry in Norway who work with medicines in various capacities, and to investigate whether there were evident differences between the two groups.
Methods: Personal interviews were conducted with 33 employees from the public authorities and 46 from the pharmaceutical industry, using a semi-structured questionnaire. This focused on knowledge of and attitudes towards pharmacoeconomics.
Main outcome measure: A factor analysis conducted on questions related to attitude.
Results: The factor analysis showed that the employees from the public authorities were significantly more positive to the introduction and use of pharmacoeconomic analyses than those from the industry, and they were less skeptical about how well prepared or receptive the market is. In addition the informants from both groups had a relatively good understanding of the terms most commonly used in the field of pharmacoeconomics. They were also aware of some of the costs and outcomes involved in the analyses.
Conclusion: If the groups interviewed are to become more involved in actual decision-making on the basis of pharmacoeconomic analyses, they need more training to gain the necessary in-depth knowledge, since their knowledge of the field was somewhat superficial.