Transcript Drug Promotion - the Pharmaceutical Representative

Promotional Material
&
The Pharmaceutical
Representative.
Bridget Rankin, Principal Pharmacist – Medicines Information
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Acknowledgements - London Medicines Information Service
(Northwick Park Hospital)
Drug Promotion –
the Pharmaceutical
Representative.
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Drug Promotion
NHS Standards
ABPI Code of Practice
Company Representatives
The ‘meeting’
Tricks of the trade
Evaluating Product Information
Quiz
Drug Promotion by
Pharmaceutical Companies.
Journal advertisements
 Mailings
 Samples
 Sponsored meetings
 Gifts
 Direct-to-consumer advertising
 Company representative visits
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NHS Standards.
Commercial Sponsorship – Ethical
Standards for the NHS (Nov 2000)
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Who is the guidance aimed at?
Sponsorship, inducements and hospitality
Research and development
Potential conflicts of interest
Advertising Regulation.
Advertising is regulated by a
combination of:
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Statutory (legal) - Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA)
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Self-regulation (codes of practice)Association of the British
Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
ABPI Code of Practice.
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Trade association representing manufacturers of
prescription medicines.
Applies to about 75 UK pharmaceutical
companies (60 non-member)
Covers all areas of promotion by the
pharmaceutical industry
Compliance with code is obligatory for members
Not legally binding
Aim “promotion of medicines to health
professions and administrative staff is carried
out in a responsible, ethical and professional
manner.”
Code for Representatives.
ABPI Code of Practice (Clause 15) covers oral information, as well as written
 Must be adequately trained
 Must not give misleading information
 Must not offer inducement to gain
interview e.g. fee
 Must not cause inconvenience
 Provision of hospitality
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Local Policies for
Representatives.
Local policies may exist relating to:
 Appointment
system for meeting
clinicians
 Leaving samples of medicines
 Sponsorship of educational meetings
 Frequency of meetings
Representatives Objectives.
 Sell
company products
 Inform and educate professionals
 Gather information
‘The meeting’.
What’s in it for me?
 Be selective
 By appointment with time limits
 Be in control
 Beware of bold statements (check
evidence)
 Prepare standard questions
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Points to consider:
S
T
E
P
S
Safety
Tolerability
Effectiveness
Price
Simplicity
One STEP better?
Tricks of the trade.
 Appeal
to authority
 Bandwagon effect
 Appeal to pity
 Red herring appeal
 Appeal to curiosity
 Testimonial
Evaluating Product
Information.
 Are
the claims backed up by
evidence?
 Are graphs/diagrams accurate and
clear?
 Be cautious of statistics and graphics
 Beware of ‘best’ – ‘strongest’ –
‘unique’
 Request the original references
And where should all the
‘glossies’ go?
Brochures
 Adverts masquerading as editorial articles
 Adverts pretending to be information
resources
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Summary.
 See
representatives if you wish
 View information objectively
 Ask for further information
 Colleagues use MI as an
independent information source
 That independent knowledge
source is YOU