Clause 25 Relationships with Health Professionals, Other Relevant Decision Makers, Healthcare Organisations and Patient Organisations

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Clause 25
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25.1

No company may require that it be the sole funder or sponsor of a healthcare organisation or patient organisation or any of its programmes.

25.2

A company must not make public use of a healthcare organisation or patient organisation’s logo and/or proprietary material without the organisation’s written agreement. In seeking such permission, the specific purpose and the way in which the logo and/or proprietary material will be used must be clearly stated.

25.3

Companies must ensure that all sponsorship is clearly acknowledged from the outset. The wording of the declaration of sponsorship must be unambiguous and accurately reflect the extent of the company’s involvement and influence over the material.

25.4

Market research activities, clinical assessments, post-marketing surveillance and experience programmes, post-authorisation studies (including those that are retrospective in nature), and the like must not be disguised promotion. They must be conducted with a primarily scientific or educational purpose.

  • Clause 25.4 Market Research

    Market research is the collection and analysis of information and must be unbiased and non-promotional. The use to which the statistics or information is put may be promotional. The two phases must be kept distinct.

    Attention is drawn to the Legal & Ethical Guidelines for Healthcare Market Research produced by the British Healthcare Business Intelligence Association.

    Market research material should be examined to ensure that it does not contravene the Code.

    Where market research is carried out by an agency on behalf of a pharmaceutical company, the agency must reveal the name of its client to the PMCPA when requested to do so. When commissioning market research, a company must take steps to ensure that its identity would be made known to the PMCPA should a request for that information be made.