The pharmaceutical industry plays a vital role in advancing healthcare outcomes through continuous innovation and the development of effective medicines. In this highly competitive and regulated sector, pharmaceutical companies increasingly rely on marketing strategies to communicate product value and influence doctors’ prescribing behavior. While such strategies facilitate drug adoption in clinical practice, they also raise ethical and regulatory concerns due to potential conflicts between commercial interests and medical ethics. This study examines the influence of pharmaceutical marketing strategies on doctors’ prescribing patterns using a quantitative approach.

A descriptive and analytical research design was adopted, with primary data collected from 300 practicing medical doctors across public and private healthcare institutions. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire based on a six-point forced-choice Likert scale. Pharmaceutical marketing strategies were analyzed through marketing mix elements—product, price, promotion, and place—along with ethical marketing practices. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).

The findings reveal that pharmaceutical marketing strategies significantly influence prescribing behavior. Product quality and brand reputation emerged as the most influential factors, followed by medical representative interactions and ethical marketing practices. Promotional activities such as free samples and detailing had a strong positive impact on prescription frequency, while pricing strategies showed a moderate but significant effect. Ethical marketing practices enhanced physician trust and long-term prescribing relationships...