A new survey of 200 general practitioners by Which? - an advocacy group similar to Consumers Union in the US - found that, on average, they each receive four visits per month from sales reps and five promotional mailings about new drugs every week.

One in four GPs were sponsored to attend a conference, seminar or training event in the UK in the last 12 months and 5 percent were sponsored to attend an event abroad. In just one month, one GP was offered nine conference places and 13 meals, and received nine visits from drug reps, ten letters, 21 leaflets, two patient information booklets and one training DVD. This amounted to 22 companies contacting her about 31 drugs.

Only 7 percent agreed that they trust the information they receive from drugmakers as much as independent sources, but 48 percent agree there aren’t enough sources of independent information available.

Industry funding can be a vital resource for patient groups, but Which? found that not all drugmakers or patient groups are open about the extent of funding and what it is used for, which makes it very difficult for consumers to get a clear picture, according to Which? editor Neil Fowler. “We want to see more sources of independent information on drugs so that GPs can make balanced decisions, more limits on the marketing of drugs, and transparency about funding.”

In response, Richard Ley, spokesman for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, tells the BBC that “I make no apologies for the fact that pharmaceutical companies are in close contact with doctors about new medicines. It is right and proper that they inform GPs about new medicines, and how they might benefit their patients, so that doctors are kept up to date.”

Ley adds that the ABPI had a strict code of practice to ensure ethical dealings with doctors. “If Which? has evidence of where that code of practice has possibly been breached, then we would want to see it,” he says.