Promotional Material & 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. • 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

NHS Standards. Commercial Sponsorship – Ethical Standards for the NHS (Nov 2000) • 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: • Statutory (legal) - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) • Self-regulation (codes of practice)- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)

ABPI Code of Practice. • 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

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

Points to consider: S Safety T Tolerability E Effectiveness P Price S 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

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

Promotional Material & The Pharmaceutical Representative.