Code of Conduct - Question & Answers
11.
Service Oriented Items - March 2005
Question 1:
Are textbooks considered appropriate service oriented
items? A distinction can be made between the type of text
being provided to a HCP; as an example, there are those texts
which are primarily for the HCP's usage to enhance their knowledge
(ex. anatomy textbook) and then there are those that would
be used directly with the patients to better assist them in
their understanding of the condition or treatment (ex. "When
a Parent is Sick - Helping Parents Explain Serious Illness
to Children." If textbooks are not acceptable items,
could there be a distinction made between those that are solely
for HCP information as opposed to those that are directly
for patient use, with the latter being considered acceptable?
Response:
Books that address either the Healthcare Professional needs
or the patient's needs from the point of view of education
would fall under the SOI category.
According to section 11.2 “Acceptable service-oriented
items are defined as items whose primary goal is to enhance
the healthcare practitioner's/patient's understanding
of a condition or its treatment.”
Question 2:
Can you provide physician with a folder kit that combines
general information on a disease and promotional information
on a product (with the product logo) as well as a pad that
includes diagnostic questionnaire (no product logo on the
page).
Can you combine the promotional information and a “service
oriented item” into one kit? A service oriented item
should not bear any product logo yet on the promotional pages
the product logo would be there – it would not appear
on the diagnostic page.
Can you offer such a piece to physicians? Would it be considered
a promotional leave-behind or a service-oriented vehicle?
Response:
Section 11 of the Rx&D Code of Conduct defines an acceptable
Service-Oriented Item.
11.1General Principle
Member companies must ensure that the distribution of service-oriented
items is not carried out for product promotional purposes.
Member companies must not conduct “special promotions”
which cannot be justified if subjected to scrutiny by members
of the health professions and the public. Member companies
should also use good judgment by choosing modes of advertising
that will uphold this general principle.
The description in the above question does not satisfy the
requirement in that section.
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