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Tightening Regulations and Raising Standards in UK Marketing Communications: the new ABPI Code of Practice (2008) explained
Steven Gray takes an in-depth look at the new 2008 Code of Practice from the ABPI. The revisions it contains are largely but not only the direct requirements of the 2007 European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Code.
Steven Gray is a specialist in healthcare sales and marketing compliance. With a strong background in sales, marketing and compliance, Steven aims to help companies implement the various industry compliance regulations in a manner that enhances their business, rather than limiting their objectives. In addition to delivering customised in-house training, Steven Gray Consulting Limited supplies a range of materials to support training managers and compliance officers run their own courses. In addition, the company provides template policies for key business areas including meetings, sponsorship and patient group interactions.
In the 50th year of the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Code of Practice, a new edition becomes effective on 1 July 2008. Whilst the revisions it contains are largely the direct requirements of the 2007 European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Code, the UK still manages to introduce some unique considerations.
Changes to the code reflect an overall objective to increase transparency in the interactions between pharma and its stakeholders. Significantly, there is a clear shift of emphasis towards regulating industry communications with a broader range of stakeholders - the code no longer simply governs promotion to healthcare professionals (HCPs), but also looks at interactions with them.
The 2008 revisions are designed to tighten controls and, in the process, further improve the standards of pharmaceutical marketing communications in the UK. Areas such as donations to institutions and how the industry, in particular its representatives, engages the services of HCPs have been scrutinised, and this has led to new clauses and additional controls.
The new code will bring new challenges in implementation for pharma companies throughout the UK. This Expert Review, Tightening Regulations and Raising Standards in UK Marketing Communications, provides a clause-by-clause summary of the major revisions to the ABPI Code of Practice, and how these may impact industry interactions with its stakeholders. It also reviews aspects of the code that may be open to interpretation, and offers advice where scope for flexibility still remains.
This review also includes a brief summary of revisions to the constitution of the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA), which administers the code on behalf of the ABPI, and it’s procedures for managing complaints when breaches of the code have been alleged. [BACK TO TOP]
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