Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20034

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: Magazine

Limprecht E
Consumer call for end to drug reps
Australian Doctor 2006 Feb 105
http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/news/latest-news/consumer-call-for-end-to-drug-reps

Full text:

Pharmaceutical company representatives should be replaced with independent ‘drug detailers’ who can provide doctors with accurate, evidence-based information about new drugs, the Australian Consumers’ Association says.

In a submission to pharmaceutical industry group Medicines Australia’s application for approval of an updated code of conduct, the consumers’ association claimed pharmaceutical reps were salespeople with little scientific training and had a tendency to provide biased information.

Ms Viola Korczak, the association’s health policy officer, said replacing pharmaceutical reps with independent detailers would ensure doctors received more objective information.

“What the reps do now is not education – it is only sales,” she said.

However, Dr John Gullotta, the AMA’s representative on Medicines Australia’s code of conduct committee, backed pharmaceutical companies sending out drug reps to promote their products.

He said both the current code of conduct and the updated version required pharmaceutical reps to provide balanced and correct information.

“A company that sells anything has the right to send people around to promote their products,” Dr Gullotta said.

Interim approval for the 15th edition of the self-regulating code of conduct has been refused by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which cited insufficient evidence for the urgency of implementing a new code.

The industry will have to wait up to four months to find out whether the new code – which attempts to restrict advertising on prescribing software – has gained final approval.