Is academic detailing economically feasible?
Though the results of academic detailing are positive, they must be measured against the level of investment required to realize them. Economic analyses of existing academic detailing programs have found them to be cost-effective. Particularly in the American setting, in which prescription drug spending is aggravated by the overuse of costly brand name drugs in lieu of appropriate generic options, academic detailing programs can recoup their costs by promoting more rational prescribing. Finally, as the Canadian experience suggests, as academic detailing programs grow in number, it is possible to achieve economies of scale by sharing the production and use of educational materials, training programs and data management systems. There is great potential for states to come together on this issue. Payers need to recognize that it is their best interest – and their patients’ – to get involved in high-quality, objective educational outreach to physicians on prescription drugs. States are in
