Healthy Skepticism Library item: 18526

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Publication type: news

ACCC proposes conditional authorisation for GMiA code of conduct
Pharmacy Daily 2010 Aug 3
www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has just announced it’s proposing to grant conditional authorisation to the second edition of the Generic Medicines Industry Association Code of Practice.

However the ACCC has imposed a number of conditions which it says will “provide greater transparency around the relationship between the manufacturers of generic medicines and pharmacists,” according to chairman Graeme Samuel.

The ACCC intends to require the extension of the public reporting requirements of the Code to apply to hospitality and entertainment provided at events for pharmacists, as well as for general practitioners.

A further condition aims to provide “high level disclosure around the nature and value of the gifts and other non-price incentives provided by manufacturers to pharmacists as an incentive for the pharmacist to stock their brand of product.”

The ACCC is proposing a three year approval period, with Samuel saying: “Increasing transparency around the provision of non-price benefits, such as hospitality, entertainment, gifts and loyalty programs, by pharmaceutical companies will ensure these arrangements are subject to public and professional scrutiny.”

MEANWHILE the ACCC has also granted interim authorisation to the GMiA Code so that the Complaints Committee can convene to consider a recently lodged complaint against a member company. No further information was given of the new complaint at this stage.

More details in tomorrow’s Pharmacy Daily.