2011 ABPI Code of Practice

New ABPI Code published

pharmafile | November 17, 2010 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing 2011 ABPI Code, ABPI, ABPI Code of Practice, PMCPA, pharma marketing, pharma sales 

The ABPI has published the 2011 version of its Code of Practice for UK pharmaceutical companies, with copies now available to download.

The Code contains new rules on consultant payments and meeting sponsorship after ABPI members earlier this month voted in favour of the amendments, which they said would ‘break down barriers’ to trust between pharma and healthcare professionals.

The new Code will be operational from 1 May with the changes to payments and sponsorship coming into effect in 2012 as expected.

But there is an extra year’s grace for new requirements to report market research payments to consultants, and these won’t start until 2013.

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Sponsoring healthcare professionals’ meeting attendance

Under the new Code companies must publish the financial details of their sponsorship of UK healthcare professionals and appropriate administrative staff to attend meetings organised by third parties.

Such sponsorship includes registration fees, costs of accommodation (both inside and outside the UK) and travel outside the UK.

The change will first apply to meetings held in 2012 and disclosure of payments won’t have to be made until the calendar year after they were made. The information must then be made public within three calendar months of the end of the company’s financial year.

Companies will have to disclose the total amount they pay in the year and the total number of recipients of this sponsorship.

The total number of attendances at meetings sponsored in the year must also be given, but the names of the recipients need not be disclosed.

Registration fees have to be included where the sponsorship of UK health professionals and appropriate administrative staff to attend meetings is paid by overseas affiliates, head offices in the UK or overseas and UK based European offices.

Consultant fees and participation in market research

UK pharma companies will also have to publish the fees paid to consultants for services like chairing and speaking at meetings, assistance with training and participation in advisory boards.

These must be published on the same basis as payments for meeting sponsorship, i.e. for services from 2012 onwards and reported the following year.

Market research costs will also need to be declared, but these changes come into effect one year later, with only activities from 2013 counted.

The new clause covers payments made to consultants in relation to market research, unless the company is not aware of the identities of those participating in the market research.

Payments to consultants for research and development work, including the conduct of clinical trials, do not need to be declared.

Copies of the 2011 APBI Code of Practice can be downloaded from the PMCPA website.

Dominic Tyer

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