Whether you are a medical professional or an industry worker you need to understand the terms under which industry and those delivering healthcare should ethically deal with one another. The best place to start is the Eucomed guidelines…in fact regulations if your company is a Eucomed member! These “rules of engagement” spell out in great detail exactly how close (or otherwise) the company/healthcare professional relationship should be.
The scope includes:
- Sponsored education and training
- Supporting third party educational conferences
- Sales and promotional meetings
- Arrangements with consultants
- Gifts
- Provision of reimbursement and other economic information
- Donations for Charitable and Philanthropic Purposes
Is there a bottom line?…….well kind of yes……the watchword seems to be “reasonableness”, but be aware that what may seem reasonable to one person may be anything but reasonable to another. Here’s an example;
“Members may provide attendees with modest meals in connection with the program, and, for educational programs necessitating overnight stays, additional hospitality may be appropriate. Any hospitality should be modest in value, subordinate in time and focus to the educational purpose of the training and in compliance with the regulations of the country where the Health Care Professional is licensed to practice.”
“Members should not pay for travel or other expenses for spouses or guests of Health Care Professionals, or for any other person who does not have a bona fide professional interest in the information being shared at the meeting.”
So what’s being said here? Is this big brother spoiling the fun enjoyed by industry and healthcare professional alike or is it a reasonable set of rules to prevent two groups of people spending other peoples’ money on their own indulgences? Does this apply to you in any event? Decide for yourself by visiting: www.eucomed.org/abouteucomed/~/media/pdf/tl/2006/other_docs/attachment1code_of_business_practice%20pdf.ashx
published: June 3, 2008 in: Healthcare, Products, Regulatory