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Identifying the effects of scientific information and recommendations on physicians’ prescribing behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre Dubois

    (TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - Comue de Toulouse - Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Tuba Tunçel

    (HEC Montréal - HEC Montréal)

Abstract

We investigate how the prescribing behavior of physicians reacts to scientific information and recommendations released by public authorities. Taking the example of antidepressant drugs, we use French panel data on exhaustive prescriptions made by a representative sample of general practitioners to more than 110,000 depressed patients between 2000 and 2008. New results revealing an increase in suicidal thinking among children taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were reported in 2004 and prompted the release of new guidelines by public health authorities. We identify the effect of this unexpected warning on physicians' drug choices while addressing that possibility that patient heterogeneity may be correlated with unobserved physician characteristics. While the warning decreased the average probability of prescribing SSRIs, we find that physicians' responses to the warning were very heterogeneous and larger if the physician had a higher preference for prescribing SSRIs before the warning.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Dubois & Tuba Tunçel, 2025. "Identifying the effects of scientific information and recommendations on physicians’ prescribing behavior," Working Papers hal-05317950, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-05317950
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05317950v1
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Gökkoca, Gökçe, 2024. "Antibiotic Stewardship in Primary Care: Evidence from Pay-for-Performance in France," TSE Working Papers 24-1567, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    3. Dubois, Pierre & Gökkoca, Gökçe, 2023. "Antibiotic Demand in the Presence of Antimicrobial Resistance," CEPR Discussion Papers 18358, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Mary K. Olson & Nina Yin, 2021. "New clinical information and physician prescribing: How do pediatric labeling changes affect prescribing to children?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 144-164, January.
    5. McKibbin, Rebecca, 2023. "The effect of RCTs on drug demand: Evidence from off-label cancer drugs," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities

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