Incentive-linked prescribing and preventable medication-related harm: A narrative review
Authors
Muhammad Naveed Noor, Mishal Sameer Khan, Janice Linton, Rumina Hasan, and Sadia Shakoor
Published
July 25, 2026
Abstract
Medication-related harm is a leading cause of adverse health outcomes worldwide. However, incentive-linked prescribing – a practice where physicians prescribe expensive or unnecessary medications in exchange for incentives from pharmaceutical companies – is often overlooked as a contributing factor to medication-related harm. In this narrative review, we discuss how incentive-linked prescribing is not only medically harmful to patients and financially burdensome for both patients and healthcare systems but also has significant negative societal consequences. Since incentive-linked prescribing is covert and difficult to quantify, assessing its impact on medication-related harm and patient health outcomes becomes challenging. In addition to dedicated investments in future research on the harms associated with incentive-linked prescribing, the implementation of clear ethical guidelines for medical practice and robust regulatory controls is essential to mitigate this practice.
To access the full publication from the Drug Science Policy and Law journal, please see below:
