Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16091
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
Monitoring Promotional Activity for Compliance: Benchmark Data
PharmaLive 2009 Jun 29
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=636729
Abstract:
Commercial Compliance Benchmark Charts Promotional Monitoring by Pharmaceutical Companies TGaS® Advisors Provides Landscape Analysis on Key Compliance Issue
Full text:
Promotional monitoring is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s toughest challenges. A recent benchmark, conducted by TGaS® Advisors Commercial Compliance Practice, found that pharmaceutical companies are using several methods to check for regulatory compliance by sales representatives, including “ride-alongs,” audits of physician message recall and sampling and expense account monitoring. TGaS Advisors, a leader in benchmarking and advisory services to the pharmaceutical industry, conducted the targeted, peer-set benchmark among heads of Commercial Compliance Groups at 12 of the top pharmaceutical companies. The goal was to learn how companies are handling this issue and create a confidential industry landscape analysis for clients.
Key findings:
- All study participants monitor promotional efforts of sales representatives. * “Ride-alongs” are one key audit method for two-thirds of the participating companies. District Managers (25%), Regional Managers (17%), Home Office compliance staff (33%) or contract personnel (less than 10%) accompany sales representatives and audit sales calls. * A second method audits physicians for message recall data. Three-quarters of the companies conduct these audits, mostly using outside market research. * All companies monitor expense reports for promotional issues and 75% audit sampling. Companies are also training their compliance officers to conduct these audits. In general, companies devote about a day to training, and more than half is in-person. One company requires a week (40 hours) of training. According to Stephen E. Gerard, Managing Partner, the TGaS Advisors 2009 Annual State of Pharmaceutical Commercial Operations Benchmark predicted that compliance would be one of the areas of greatest change this year. “Regulatory concerns are on everyone’s radar,” said Gerard. “Commercial Operations leaders are deeply conscious of compliance issues across the board, from sales calls to Internet marketing. Sharing information on promotional monitoring supports industry efforts to stay compliant in a time of flux.”
