The associations of consultant sex on herding‑like prescribing behaviour: evidence from a web-based experiment with female primary care physicians in England

Consultant recommendations, independent from consultant's sex, increased the likelihood of non-guideline prescribing among female PCPs. The absence of statistically significant differences between male and female consultants suggests that the presence of a recommendation itself may be more influential than consultant sex. Strengthening physicians' confidence and supporting guideline-based decision-making may help reduce susceptibility to social influence.