Code of Conduct - Question & Answers

6. Donations - November 2005
 
Question 1:
The University of X has requested that member companies provide sponsorship to hospital rounds and a conference in Y. Would providing such sponsorship be construed as a contravention of 6.1.3 of the Code?

Response:
Section 6 of the Code clearly states the conditions under which a company may offer a donation or financial support. Specifically, Section 6.1.3 spells out that it is not possible to pay in order to access a health care professional. It is up to the member company to gauge the impact of the activity.

As for sponsoring a conference in Canada, the criteria are set out in Section 4A.

All donations must be in conformity with and respect the Code. In the absence of criteria and precise guidelines, it is recommended to act within the spirit of the Code.