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Drug Firms Told to Cut Perks for GPs

Posted on: Thursday, 17 November 2005, 09:00 CST

By Alison Hardie Health Correspondent

DRUG companies will be barred from offering lavish gifts and hospitality to doctors in an attempt to persuade them to buy their products, under new rules announced by the British pharmaceutical industry yesterday.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) said its strengthened code of conduct would improve its self- regulation and halt the culture of tempting health professionals to purchase products with offers such as first-class air travel to exotic locations.

In one of the worst recent breaches of the current regulations, a gum-disease treatment was advertised with a "win an iPod" special offer.

Earlier this year it was revealed that AstraZeneca entertained nurses and doctors at a dinner at the four-star Groucho St Jude's Hotel in Glasgow.

The firm, which makes asthma drugs, provided a 45-minute presentation before treating its guests to dinner.

AstraZeneca has defended the promotion of its products, claiming that the locations are chosen on the basis that they are "venues that can best facilitate a robust educational programme".

But in a letter to the British Medical Journal, Liz Darlington, a nurse in the north of England, complained about the targeting of her profession.

She said: "I am utterly amazed at the pharmaceutical environment that prevails in primary care and the volume of invites to 'educational meetings' with free lunches, trips to TV shows, etc, that have been put my way."

Dr Des Spence, a Glasgow-based GP, formed the pressure group No Free Lunch UK after he grew increasingly fed up with being targeted by drugs companies. He said: "Most people would consider this level of hospitality to be disproportionate."

The ABPI's decision to tighten its code of conduct comes as the government's own medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, is investigating cases that might lead to prosecution.

A spokeswoman for the ABPI said yesterday the decision to strengthen the code of conduct had been taken to ensure the highest standards.

She denied it had been prompted by numerous complaints about drug companies inappropriately targeting healthcare professionals.

Source: Scotsman, The

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