Patient requests for specific medications are becoming a routine part of clinical conversations, and they occur far more often in primary care than among specialists. On average, general practitioners (GPs) report being asked about specific medications roughly once per day, while specialists receive these requests every two to three days. This highlights the central role primary care plays in navigating patient-driven treatment discussions. This trend is accelerating – around seven in ten GPs report that patient requests have increased compared with one year ago, while fewer than half of specialists report the same level of growth. Much of this demand is driven by medications associated with weight management, which frequently come up in conversations across multiple specialties.
But frequency is only one part of the picture. Read more to see what is driving demand and how physicians are navigating these conversations.
Patient requests are shaping more than the frequency of physician conversations. While physicians appreciate when patients come to appointments informed, they also say that discussions driven by online research or advertising can be time consuming. This adds complexity to already busy clinical visits, especially in primary care.
The infographic also shows that medications linked to weight management are leading many of these requests across specialties. Ozempic is the top brand requested in both the US and Canada, while other brands appear depending on specialty. Physicians report that about half of patient requests for prescription medications are granted, though this varies by specialty.
Together, these findings show that patient requests are becoming a meaningful part of treatment discussions and reinforce the need for clear, credible information that helps physicians respond with confidence.
Infographics may contain select findings from our Independent Studies. Contact us to find out if your organization qualifies for a complimentary presentation with access to the full report.
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