Code of Conduct - Question & Answers

11. Service Oriented Items - April 2005
 
Question 1:
How can textbooks be used?

Response:
Medical textbooks meet the definition of service-oriented item and can be distributed through the sales representatives or, as proposed, through a third party. Anatomical charts should not be branded. SMA guidelines also specify this.

By having them branded and PAABed, we are going against the spirit of the Codes (Rx&D & CMA).

Question 2:
Is a pharmaceutical rep allowed to distribute to health care professionals copies of a recently published clinical review article?
What about distributing a copy of an actual medical journal/publication, containing a number of review articles and/or special supplements (i.e. a copy of Patient Care, or Medical Post).

Response:
This is not a “true” Service Oriented Item.

These would be seen more as a “marketing tool” and as long as they meet with the guidelines set by PAAB then they should be acceptable. It will also be important that the distribution of clinical review articles is in concordance with the internal medical and legal policies of each pharmaceutical company. The spirit of distribution of a review article by a Representative is to promote a specific product and/or a specific therapeutic area. A clinical paper that promotes usage of a product that does not have the official indication in Canada is in violation of PAAB.

Question 3:
Code Info. Bulletin #3 lists examples of service-oriented items that would contravene the Code - contained within this list are stationary items such as patient appointment cards. Do immunization reminder cards also fall into the category of stationary items? Are they acceptable? As background information, these cards are vital to the protection of patient's health and provide patients and physicians with critical information as to the vaccine they were provided, what diseases this protected them from, when their next dose is and when they are finished their schedule. There is a large net benefit for the patient in the distribution of these types of items.

Response:
This particular item does not fall into the definition of Service Oriented items as per section 11 of the Code.
These cards are reminder cards as to immunization dates, and vaccinations provided. They do not provide the physicians with a better understanding of the patient's condition, or the treatment of the condition, as is required in section 11.

The cards in question should be deferred to PAAB for approval.

Question 4:
A group of 8 specialists would like to request support in the printing and distribution of a newsletter directly related to their specialty. The content of this material is in no way created/approved by the pharma. org. and is solely the work of the specialists.

With respect to this situation - how would we be able to support these HCPs?

Response:
Provided that more than one Member Company sponsors for the newsletter in equal amounts then this should be OK.