Colaboraciones
Collaborations
Healthcare Professionals and Healthcare Organisations
Collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations is based in its legitimate necessity. The interaction between both collectives provides important benefits in a double direction: on the one hand, it makes possible the update and improvement of the knowledge and abilities of healthcare professionals; and, on the other hand, it allows pharmaceutical companies to make use of the knowledge and value these provide. Everything with a foreground objective: making medical innovation available to patients.
The scientific and technical complexity of the profession and the constant innovation applied to medicines make research and development indispensable and continued medical education of healthcare professionals to be aware of the evolution of medicines, the latest treatments and advances in the improvement of the quality and life expectancy of society imperative.
In this context, the work developed by the pharmaceutical industry with scientific and healthcare organisations is also understood, complementary to that carried out within their companies.
The support of industry to continued medical education is an unquestionable reality. Without it, the continued knowledge of the improvement of medicines would be hugely diminished, in detriment of the professional, the healthcare system and, what is most important, patients and society.
The key is in maintaining the independence, efficacy and transparency of these relationships.
Scope of the Code
The Code governs three areas: promotion of prescription-only medicines, relationship with healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations and relationship maintained with patient organisations.
Farmaindustria promoted the Spanish Code of Practice of the Pharmaceutical Industry with the aim of guaranteeing that the information made available to healthcare professionals within the framework of the promotion of medicines is complete, accurate and objective, as well as to ensure that the relationships industry and healthcare professionals establish are carried out under the highest ethical standards.
It covers all methods of promotion, including the press and direct mail and online advertising, activities of company delegates, sponsorship of professional or scientific meetings attended by healthcare professionals, the use of the Internet and audiovisual materials, as well as the offering of medical samples, informational or educational materials and items of medical utility. Also within its scope are all forms of interaction between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals, both those derived from research agreements (clinical trials and studies) and those belonging to other types of agreements (collaboration, consulting, etc.).
Starting in 2016, pharmaceutical companies shall also disclose the transfers of value they make to healthcare organisations and healthcare professionals. One step further in the process of transparency in the relationships of industry with third parties, with the aim of continuing to reinforce trust in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.