Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41355142›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2026

Prescribing variation across Europe: Insights into prescribing practices and educational needs.

Mariëlle G Hartjes, Milan C Richir, Michiel A van Agtmael, Jelle Tichelaar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Mariëlle G HartjesAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, unit Pharmacotherapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7595-2570
Milan C RichirAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, unit Pharmacotherapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Michiel A van AgtmaelAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, unit Pharmacotherapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7966-6934
Jelle TichelaarAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, unit Pharmacotherapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

Erasmus + 2022-1-NL01-KA220-HED-000088069
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsPrescribing medication is a complex process, influenced by many factors that can be weighed differently. Four prescriber profiles have been identified: pragmatic-contextual, guideline-oriented, experience-driven and vulnerability-focused. However, the extent to which European prescribers identify with these profiles and the role of these profiles in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education is unclear. Knowledge of this might improve prescribing education and thereby prescribing practice.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among physicians, physician assistants, advanced nurse practitioners and prescribing pharmacists across Europe. Participants ranked how strongly they identified with the four prescriber profiles, whether they recognized them in fellow healthcare professionals and whether these were covered in CPT education.

resultsA total of 170 prescribers from 23 European countries and over 40 different medical disciplines participated in this study. Most participants identified themselves as being pragmatic-contextual (36.5%) or guideline-oriented (42.9%) prescribers, whereas few considered themselves experience-driven (11.2%) or vulnerability-focused (9.4%) prescribers. Pragmatic-contextual and guideline-oriented prescribing were covered in current CPT education, whereas vulnerability-focused prescribing was poorly covered in current education. Participants thought that future CPT education should include these prescriber profiles.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the influence of professional background, clinical setting and experience on prescribing approaches across Europe. The strong presence of pragmatic-contextual and guideline-oriented profiles in both practice and education is consistent with current CPT curricula. However, experience-based and vulnerability-focused profiles, though regularly seen in practice, are under-represented in education despite their acknowledged importance. To support the development of prescribing practice, educational strategies should include all profiles.

Indexed as

Drug PrescriptionsPharmacology, ClinicalPractice Patterns, Physicians'AdultCross-Sectional StudiesEuropeFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhysiciansPractice Guidelines as TopicSurveys and Questionnaireseducationmedical educationprescribingquality use of medicines

Identifiers

PMID41355142
PMCPMC13122282

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.