Conference Matters 142

CONFERENCES

advertising at medical events Navigating pharmaceutical

The regulatory landscape surrounding pharmaceutical advertising is complex, requiring meticulous attention to detail and strict adherence to guidelines to maintain ethical standards and safeguard against undue influence. By navigating these regulations conscientiously, stakeholders can uphold the integrity of healthcare practices and ensure transparency in industry interactions.

sing for the company itself (‘corporate adverti sing’) may be directed at the general public.

Events with mixed audiences Events attended by both healthcare professio nals and non-healthcare professionals necessi tate meticulous planning to prevent inadvertent exposure to PO-medicine advertising. Clear demarcation between areas where such adver tising is permitted and restricted is essential. Badges should indicate whether a participant is a healthcare professional or a non-healthcare professional. Detailed agreements between pharmaceutical companies and event organizers are crucial to ensure compliance and avoid unin tentional breaches. Please note that the ban on public advertising does not apply to the attending employees of pharmaceutical companies, the conference orga nisers, the conference venue and the catering. Large-scale international conferences Exceptional circumstances, such as large-scale international medical conferences primarily tar geting healthcare professionals, may present challenges in completely isolating non-healthcare professionals from prescription-only product advertising. To avoid unproportionally hindering the organization of scientific events, large-scale international conferences, the organization does not have to take additional measures to prevent non-healthcare professionals from being exposed to advertising for PO-medicines in case of large scale international conferences (see inset). In the case of a conference that (also) specifi cally targets non-healthcare professionals, the

Text Dionne Annink, Foundation for the Code for Pharmaceutical Advertising (CGR)

advertisements. The rationale here is that this group of non-healthcare professionals is not well-positioned to judge pharmaceutical adverti sing on its merits, due to a lack of education on this topic. These rules apply to everyone, which means that organizers of medical events need to take the measures within their power to ensure that no undue pharmaceutical advertising takes place. Pharmaceutical advertising covers everything that can be considered promoting a specific PO-medicine and has persuasive character. Infor mation on prescription-only medicines which is directed at non-healthcare professionals is per mitted. Advertising for the company itself (‘cor porate advertising’) is also allowed, as this is not considered advertising a specific PO-medicine. The ban on advertising PO-medicines to the public encompasses various mediums, such as showing the product name at stands (product stands), programme booklets, folders, scienti fic presentations, video messages and apps. Non-healthcare professionals may not be expo sed to such advertising claims. Indirect advertising to the general public for pres cription-only medicinal products is not permitted either. This is the case if a company advertises for an administration device (such as an injection pen or inhaler) which is used only in combination with certain prescription-only products. Adverti

Organizers of medical events facilitate inter actions between healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies during scientific conferences or refresher trainings. These inter actions are valuable for the dissemination of knowledge from healthcare professionals to pharmaceutical companies and vice versa. In both the Netherlands and beyond its borders, stringent regulations govern pharmaceutical advertising and financial relations between healthcare professionals and these companies. The aim is to maintain ethical standards and prevent undue influence on healthcare profes sionals. These rules extend to various aspects, including events sponsored or organized by phar maceutical companies. Let's delve into the intri cacies of these regulations, exploring the Dutch Code of Conduct for Pharmaceutical Advertising (CGR) and its implications for medical events. Advertising Restrictions Pharmaceutical advertising is tightly regulated in the European Union. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to advertise their prescription-only medicinal products (PO-medicines) to health care professionals that are licensed to prescribe or supply such PO-medicines. Conversely, it is strictly prohibited to target the general public or healthcare professionals who are not licensed to prescribe or supply PO-medicines with such

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