FISONS ACTS ON IMPROPER SALES PRACTICES

Following allegations of sales malpractices by the Sunday Times newspaper (Marketletter November 15), UK drugmaker Fisons says it has investigated the matter and taken disciplinary action as appropriate.

Fisons notes that the allegations came in two parts. First, and most serious is that there had been offers to doctors by the company's sales representatives of financial inducements to prescribe products in association with the use of a patient treatment record card, and second, allegations of excessive hospitality provided to doctors by Fisons' personnel, in breach of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry code of practice, which Fisons says its policy is to strictly observe.

The company's investigations established that the use of a patient treatment record card, which was not authorized under company procedures, existed and was confined to the West Midlands sales team of seven reps. The investigation did not establish that any of the physicians contacted by the reps received payments in connection with the card, but four doctors stated that they had been offered financial inducements by Fisons' reps.