Prescribing under the Influence: The Business of Breastmilk Substitutes

Rosa Rios, Hernan Riquelme and Sharif El Beshlawy
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Rosa Rios: College of Business, Victoria University, Vic 3000, Australia
Hernan Riquelme: College of Business, GUST University, Hawally 32093, Kuwait
Sharif El Beshlawy: Kuwait Maastricht Business School, Al-Dasmah 35003, Kuwait

Social Sciences, 2016, vol. 5, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: This study draws on a general theoretical framework comprising of a decision maker (a doctor), perceived moral intensity of the issue (breastfeeding substitute prescription), and the situational environment (hospital policy, pharma company promotions, and mother’s beliefs regarding breastfeeding) to explain the physician’s role and influence on mothers’ infant feeding choices when prescribing infant formula in Kuwait, Middle East. Moral intensity is an issue-contingent model that suggests ethical decisions vary in terms of how much a moral imperative is present in a situation. The moral intensity of the issue is assessed using six components. Path Least Squares results indicate the following moral intensity components have significant impact on prescription behavior: magnitude of consequences, probability of effect, and temporal immediacy. Company promotion and hospital policy also significantly influence doctor’s prescription of infant formula. Doctors appear to disengage from the consequences of over prescribing infant formula.

Keywords: over prescription; breastfeeding; medical ethics; moral intensity; hospital policy; moral judgment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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