GPs asked not to demand payments from drug company representatives
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《英国医生杂志》
The Code of Practice Authority, which enforces the pharmaceutical industry抯 rules for promoting drugs in the United Kingdom, has asked GPs to stop requesting payments from drug company representatives because such payments infringe the authority抯 code.
In its May review the authority says it has had reports of general practices asking drug company representatives for payments such as contributions to the cost of coffee or lunch when they attend a GP抯 surgery to talk about the company抯 drug products.
Heather Simmonds, director of the Code of Practice Authority, said: "Occasionally, pharmaceutical companies write to us to say that these arrangements are in place at this surgery. If their representative went along with it, they would be in breach of code. It places the representatives in a very difficult position."
Clause 15.3 of the code, drawn up by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, states that representatives "must not employ any inducement or subterfuge to gain an interview" and that "no fee should be paid or offered for the grant of an interview."
The General Medical Council also advises doctors that they "must not accept any inducement, gift, or hospitality" that may affect or be seen to affect their judgment.
Ms Simmonds told the BMJ: "The doctors don抰 realise what the requirements of code are," she said. "It doesn抰 happen very often, but we have had two or three cases in the last couple of months. I think it is probably the doctors just thinking 慦ouldn抰 it be good if we could get them to pay for the coffee and cakes??or it may be a practice manager who has come up with the idea. It may be just ?0 or ?00. We haven抰 seen any amounts that are outrageous."
Pat Goodall, head of public affairs at NHS Alliance, which represents primary care trusts, said that the alliance was also concerned: "Charging pharmaceutical company representatives for refreshments is tantamount to charging for access to NHS practitioners and is a practice the NHS Alliance would discourage.
"We understand that no more than a handful of general practices have adopted a charging policy. The alliance is unable to comment on their reasons—it may be that some people are unaware of the rules. However, we shall certainly be advising our members and networks of the code of practice and the GPC advice."(London Lynn Eaton)
In its May review the authority says it has had reports of general practices asking drug company representatives for payments such as contributions to the cost of coffee or lunch when they attend a GP抯 surgery to talk about the company抯 drug products.
Heather Simmonds, director of the Code of Practice Authority, said: "Occasionally, pharmaceutical companies write to us to say that these arrangements are in place at this surgery. If their representative went along with it, they would be in breach of code. It places the representatives in a very difficult position."
Clause 15.3 of the code, drawn up by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, states that representatives "must not employ any inducement or subterfuge to gain an interview" and that "no fee should be paid or offered for the grant of an interview."
The General Medical Council also advises doctors that they "must not accept any inducement, gift, or hospitality" that may affect or be seen to affect their judgment.
Ms Simmonds told the BMJ: "The doctors don抰 realise what the requirements of code are," she said. "It doesn抰 happen very often, but we have had two or three cases in the last couple of months. I think it is probably the doctors just thinking 慦ouldn抰 it be good if we could get them to pay for the coffee and cakes??or it may be a practice manager who has come up with the idea. It may be just ?0 or ?00. We haven抰 seen any amounts that are outrageous."
Pat Goodall, head of public affairs at NHS Alliance, which represents primary care trusts, said that the alliance was also concerned: "Charging pharmaceutical company representatives for refreshments is tantamount to charging for access to NHS practitioners and is a practice the NHS Alliance would discourage.
"We understand that no more than a handful of general practices have adopted a charging policy. The alliance is unable to comment on their reasons—it may be that some people are unaware of the rules. However, we shall certainly be advising our members and networks of the code of practice and the GPC advice."(London Lynn Eaton)