Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15351

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Pharma events vital
Pharmacy Daily (Australia) - registration required 2009 Mar 30
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

MEDICINES Australia says its member companies sponsored or provided more than 18000 events for healthcare professionals during the last half of 2008.

The association said its members were committed to providing balanced and accurate information, and had an “obligation to patients to ensure doctors have the latest information about prescription
medicines,” according to MA ceo Ian Chalmers.

“These events ensure healthcare professionals know about new medicines and how they should be used. The information…has to be entirely consistent with productinformation approved by the TGA.”

He said that more than 99.9% of events provided in 2007-08 were compliant with the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct.

Changes last year to the code mean that MA now posts details of educational events provided by
its members online at www.medicinesaustralia.com.au.