Code of Conduct - Question & Answers
6. Donations
- March 2005
Question 1:
As we have discussed the Fredericton Medical Centre in Fredericton,
N.B. has been charging reps. for the use of their board room
for a number of years for L&Ls, whether they be presentations
by the reps. themselves or for speaker's programs sponsored
by a company. It is apparent that various companies have taken
various approaches to the payment of this charge since the
Rx&D guidelines have come into place. It seems that there
are three avenues being taken:
- some companies have simply decided to stop paying for
the room as they have deemed it a violation of the code
as it is, in their judgment, paying for access to physicians,
some of these companies have asked for their deposit back
and thus have lost their booking,
- some reps. have continued to pay the money, with or without
their company's blessing, if the company has frowned on
the payment the reps. have found ways to "bury"
the cost, i.e., by rolling the cost into the meal itself
(the cost of the meal is significant as up to 25-35 physicians
can come for the food as it is "open" to everyone,
even if the topic is of no interest or value to those MDs,
nurses and receptionists have also indulged themselves at
these luncheons so the numbers are indeed large)
- some companies have decided that the payment is acceptable
if indeed the L&L is in the form of a speaker's program.
It would seem to me that a firm and
consistent decision ought to be made concerning this clinic
so that some companies are not gaining a significant advantage
over others with respect to MD accessibility there. Either
we all pay, regardless of the form of the luncheon, or none
of us pay. I think Rx & D has to take a stand and make
a decision that is binding on all member companies. Once a
decision is arrived at then this should be specifically communicated
to the clinic MDs. They then can decide if they will entertain
reps. for L&Ls with no charge for the room, regardless
of the form of the L&L.
Response:
That type of payment is not acceptable under our current Code.
It has again been brought to the attention of Rx&D that
various clinics have implemented a policy whereby pharmaceutical
representatives are charged a "rental fee" for the
use of a room within the clinic for the purpose of making
educational presentations and/or convening meetings such as
'lunch and learn' sessions. Rx&D has also been informed
of a recurrence of the practice whereby some clinics and hospitals
are requesting a fee or donation, for example to the institution's
library, in return for which, representatives are granted
access to healthcare professionals or the ability to display
their products within the institution.
Rx&D member companies would like to take this opportunity
to remind the clinics administration of the following provisions
of the Rx&D's Code (ed. January 2005):
- Section 6.1.3. “Companies must never provide a
donation, directly or indirectly, in order to have access
to a healthcare professional.”
- Section 8.2.7. “Under no circumstances shall company
representatives pay a fee in order to gain access to a healthcare
practitioner.”
The clinics administration is asked to collaborate with member
companies in adhering to the principles of the Rx&D Code
of Conduct.
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