|
|
|||||||
| w | ||||||||
|
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
This document focuses on our interactions with healthcare professionals that relate to the marketing of our products.
The Voluntary Code on Interaction is based on the principle that a healthcare professional’s care of patients should be based, and should be perceived as being based, solely on each patient’s medical needs and the healthcare professional’s medical knowledge and experience.
Therefore, PhRMA adopts this updated and enhanced voluntary Code on relationships with U.S. healthcare professionals.
This updated Voluntary Code will take effect in January 2009.
In Laymen’s Terms this means that this is voluntary and is not a mandatory Code. Also this Voluntary PhRMA code does not apply to all of the medical industry only the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Medical Industries this does not pertain to are Medical Equipment Suppliers. Also this voluntary code is only for the USA and is not applied to European countries.
We also have available for the Pharmaceutical companies complying with PhRMA, cutting edge, educational tools, which can have company branding ( Engraved Names or Logo’s ). This product falls under the educational qualification set in the voluntary code on interaction by PhRMA. All our other exceptional products are available to European Pharmaceutical Industries with branding ( Engraved Names or Logo’s ) available as well.
Priority sections for Voluntary Code on Interaction from
PhRMA are listed below along with the PhRMA direct
Website Link
10 Prohibition of Non-Educational and Practice-Related Items
11 Educational Items
Adherence to Code
Q.3
Under the Code, what are examples of permissible items that may be provided to educate healthcare professionals?
A.
Q.4
Under the Code, what types of patient education items may companies provide to healthcare professionals to help them in educating their patients?
A.
10 Prohibition of Non-Educational and
Practice-Related Items
Providing items for healthcare professionals’ use that do not advance disease or treatment education — even if they are practice-related items of minimal value (such as pens, note pads, mugs and similar “reminder” items with company or product logos) — may foster misperceptions that company interactions with healthcare professionals are not based on informing them about medical and scientific issues. Such non-educational items should not be offered to healthcare professionals or members of their staff, even if they are accompanied by patient or physician educational materials.
12 Items intended for the personal benefit of healthcare professionals (such as floralarrangements, artwork, music CDs or tickets to a sporting event) likewise should not be offered. Payments in cash or cash equivalents (such as gift certificates) should not be offered to healthcare professionals either directly or indirectly, except as compensation for bona fide services (as described in Sections 6 and 7). Cash or equivalent payments of any kind create a potential appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest. It is appropriate to provide product samples for patient use in accordance with the Prescription Drug Marketing Act.
11 Educational Items
It is appropriate for companies, where permitted by law, to offer items designed primarily for the education of patients or healthcare professionals if the items are not of substantial value ($100 or less) and do not have value to healthcare professionals outside of his or her professional responsibilities. For example, an anatomical model for use in an examination room is intended for the education of the patients and is therefore appropriate, whereas a DVD or CD player may have independent value to a healthcare professional outside of his or her professional responsibilities, even if it could also be used to provide education to patients, and therefore is not appropriate. Items designed primarily for the education of patients or healthcare professionals should not be offered on more than an occasional basis, even if each individual item is appropriate.
Adherence to Code
All companies that interact with healthcare professionals about pharmaceuticals should adopt procedures to assure adherence to this Code. Companies that publicly announce their commitment to abide by the Code and who complete an annual certification that they have policies and procedures in place to foster compliance with the Code will be identified by PhRMA on a public web site.
The certification must be signed by the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. The website will identify the companies who commit to abide by the Code; provide contact information for their Chief Compliance Officers; and, at the appropriate time, publish the status of each company’s annual certification. Any comments Received by PhRMA relating to a company’s observance of the Code or conduct that is addressed by the Code will be referred by PhRMA to the relevant company’s Chief Compliance Officer. In addition, companies are encouraged to seek external verification periodically, meaning at least once every three years, that the company has policies and procedures in place to foster compliance with the Code. PhRMA will prepare general guidance for such external verification and will identify on its web site if a company has sought and obtained verification of its compliance policies and procedures from an external source.
Q.3
Under the Code, what are examples of permissible items that
may be provided to educate healthcare professionals?
A. The Code states that it is appropriate for companies, where permitted by law, to occasionally offer items primarily designed for the education of patients or healthcare professionals, as long as such items are not of substantial value ($100 or less) and do not have a value to the healthcare professionals outside of their professional responsibilities. For example, companies may provide educational items such as a Medical text book, a subscription to a relevant scientific journal, or copies of relevant clinical treatment guidelines.
Q.4
Under the Code, what types of patient education items may companies provide to healthcare professionals to help them in educating their patients?
A. Where permitted by law, companies may occasionally offer to healthcare professionals items designed to help educate patients, such as anatomical models for examination rooms, informational sheets and brochures, patient self-assessment and tracking tools, or written materials that inform patients about adherence to medicine regimens, healthy lifestyle choices or the availability of patient assistance programs. Such items should not be of substantial value, i.e. they should be $100 or less. Companies may also provide to healthcare professionals educational items designed for use by patients to assist in the administration of their treatment or management of their conditions. Such items should only be provided to healthcare professionals for patients where the items are permitted by law, may be considered essential to proper treatment or compliance and where delivery through a healthcare professional is an appropriate method of delivery to the patient. For example, companies may provide through healthcare professionals patient starter kits that help enhance the patients’ appropriate use of the prescribed medicine. Providing non-educational items to Healthcare professionals for patient use is not appropriate, even if these items are of minimal value, such as pedometers, stopwatches, or other general fitness items.
NEW EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT AVAILABLE
| cccccccccccccccccccccccccc |
|
||||||||||
