Vol. 530 No. 3
167 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce guidelines for doctors working in the public health services regarding the involvement of doctors in promotional programmes organised by pharmaceutical and drug companies. [3728/01]
Under article 12 of the Medical Preparations (Advertising) Regulations, 1993, a health professional, which includes doctors, shall not solicit or accept any inducement in the form of gifts, pecuniary advantages, or benefits in kind, unless they are inexpensive and relevant to the practice of medicine and pharmacy. In addition, a person providing hospitality to a health professional in the course of sales promotion shall ensure that such hospitality is reasonable in level and secondary to the main purpose of the meeting and that it is not extended to other than health professionals.
In support of these regulations the pharmaceutical industry was required to introduce the code of marketing practice in consultation with my Department and other interested parties with a view to securing the universal acceptance and adoption of high standards of conduct in the marketing of medicinal products designed for use under medical supervision.
Since 1 January 1993 the advertising of medicinal products for human use in the European Community member states, has been governed by Council Directive 92/28/EEC of 31 March 1992. The code of practice fits into the general framework established by article 12 paragraph 4 of the directive, which recognises the role of voluntary control of advertising of medicinal products by self regulatory bodies and recourse to such bodies.
This code was approved by my Department under article 16.2 of the Medical Preparations (Advertising) Regulations 1993, (S.I. No. 76 of 1993) for the purposes of providing practical guidance in implementing the regulations. Compliance with the advertising regulations is now one of the general conditions applicable to the holding of product authorisations.
The code emphasises the importance of providing health professionals with accurate, fair and objective information about medicinal products so that rational decisions can be made as to their use. In addition, the code accepts the principle that such information should be presented in a form and by ways and means which conform not only to legal requirements but also to professional standards of ethics and good taste.
Acceptance and observance of the provisions of the code are a condition of membership of the pharmaceutical division of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association. Companies observing the code also acknowledge that its provisions are to be applied in the spirit, as well as in the letter.
