;

17

17.1

Representatives must be given adequate training and have sufficient scientific knowledge to enable them to provide full and accurate information about the medicines which they promote.

17.2

Representatives must not employ any inducement or subterfuge to gain an interview. No fee should be paid or offered for the grant of an interview.

17.3

Representatives must ensure that the frequency, timing and duration of calls on health professionals and other relevant decision makers in hospitals, the NHS and other organisations, together with the manner in which they are made, do not cause inconvenience. The wishes of individuals on whom representatives want to call and the arrangements in force at any particular establishment must be observed. When briefing representatives, companies should distinguish between expected call rates and expected contact rates.

17.4

In an interview, or when seeking an appointment for one, representatives must at the outset take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not mislead as to their identity or that of the company they represent.

17.5

Representatives must, without delay, forward any information which they receive in relation to the use of their company’s medicines, particularly reports of adverse reactions, to the scientific service referred to in Clause 4.1.

17.6

Representatives must be paid a fixed, basic salary and any addition proportional to sales of medicines must not constitute an undue proportion of their remuneration.

17.7

Representatives must provide, or have available to provide if requested, a copy of the summary of product characteristics for each medicine which they are to promote.

17.8

Representatives’ briefing material must comply with the relevant requirements of the Code and, in particular, is subject to the certification requirements of Clause 8.

Briefing material must not advocate, either directly or indirectly, any course of action which would be likely to lead to a breach of the Code. Companies must prepare detailed briefing material for medical representatives on the technical aspects of each medicine which they will promote. A copy of such material must be made available to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the PMCPA on request.