Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20044

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

Cole L
Hospitality, GP software rules under fire
Medical Observer 2005 Mar 2510

Full text:

The AMA has called for a rethink on rules governing pharmaceutical hospitality and advertising on GP software as part of a submission to a review of the Medicines Australia code of conduct.

In particular the AMA has pinpointed as “insulting: the guidelines for “simple” and “modest” hospitality at pharmaceutical company-sponsored events, put in place in 2002 to set a standard for the relationship between the industry and doctors.

Sydney GP and chair of the AMA’s therapeutics committee Dr Robyn Napier said the way the code currently read implied the only appropriate venues for educational events were “backpackers” and that food should be restricted to “vegemite sandwiches”.

“Doctors are highly educated, they work very hard and should be treated with a degree of respect”, Dr Napier said.

The AMA wanted a representative included on Medicines Australia’s code of conduct review committee.

Electronic advertising on medical software also came in for criticism in the AMA submission to the review.

Although a reality, Dr Napier said the AMA believed advertisements on GP software were not appropriate and should not appear in front of patients.

The Australian Consumer’s Association had signalled it planned to make a formal complaint to Medicines Australia over advertising on the GP software package, Medical Director.

Doctors also flagged concerns about a rise in indirect pharmaceutical advertising to consumers.

President of the Royal College of Physicians Dr Jill Sewell said more should be done to monitor the effect of disease awareness campaigns on prescribing.