ProfessorBarbara Mintzes

Dr Mintzes’ research focuses primarily on quality use of medicines, through studies that build the scientific evidence to support appropriate prescribing and use of medicines, and through evaluations of the effectiveness of policies aiming to support quality medicine use.

In the field of pharmaceutical policy, she has conducted research on pharmaceutical promotion, comparing the content of promotional information provided to consumers and physicians with the scientific evidence, and comparing national approaches to regulation and regulatory standards with promotional content. Her second related interest is the study of ‘disease-mongering’, i.e. commercial influences on diagnostic criteria and on the thresholds for treatment of specific conditions.

Current research projects include: a comparative evaluation of regulatory safety advisories on medicines in four countries over a 10-year period; an evaluation of antidepressant use in pregnancy in British Columbia; a systematic review of the beneficial and harmful effects of postpartum domperidone use to stimulate lactation; a systematic review of disease-awareness advertising; and an evaluation of the strength of evidence supporting recommendations for ‘off-label’ use of pharmaceuticals in a prescribing guide.

With the Charles Perkins Centre, Dr Mintzes’ research will evaluate how diagnostic thresholds and treatment outcomes are assessed in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and particularly the influence of commercial interests. A second focus is the study of medications with cardiovascular and metabolic adverse events.