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Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16470

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

 

Publication type: news

Fabunan S
Drug firms curb gifts for docs
Business Mirror 2009 Sep 7
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/15708-drug-firms-curb-gifts-for-docs.html


Full text:

THE Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines will strictly prohibit its members from sponsoring recreational activities of doctors, including shouldering costs of junkets, or even giving them some gifts and donations.

“No more golf games or events in posh resorts in and out of the country,” PHAP executive director Reiner Gloor said in a press briefing at Diamond Hotel, Manila.

He explained that aside from golf course activities, members are not allowed to conduct any sport activities such as badminton and bowling, not even in connection with a scientific meeting.

For the past ten years, the members have been revising and improving their Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices.

PHAP established provisions in the Code of Ethics covering the various necessary activities and dealings of its members in relation to healthcare professionals.

Base on the summary of number of ethics cases, in the year 2005, at least 37 cases were reported and one of the members was fined P200,000; 13 cases in 2006, with one fined P100,000; eight in 2007, with one a golf course activity case. The cases increase in 2008, when one of them was fined P300,000.

As of this year, they have four reported cases, Gloor said, adding that the majority of the reported cases are complaints on technical or efficacy issues and the promotion of the products.

However, on travel costs, PHAP can still subsidize doctors’ expenses for Continuing Medical Education (CME).

PHAP explained that the code of ethics provides that the scientific agenda must be the main basis for the company’s sponsorship or participation; and health-care professionals are not obligated to prescribe or promote any brand of medicine.

Gloor said sponsoring travel costs are only limited to Economy round- trip tickets, which include meals, registration and accommodation for the duration of CME, with maximum additional of two days for travel time.

“Doctors should improve themselves to advance their practice. Doctors are also required to pass on to us [the company who sponsor] his or her learning [or discoveries] during the seminar attended,” he said.

There are no allowance or cash assistance during the travel and the doctor’s family are not allowed to come along, unless medically qualified and practicing in a therapeutic area relevant to the CME.

Gifts to doctors are only allowed if these cost less than P1,000 and would benefit patients.

“We only allowed members to give gifts during Christmas. Cell phones [and other electronic gadgets] and furniture are not allowed.”

 

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