Revisions to Code of Marketing for Ireland's pharma

The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) this week announced the introduction of a revised Code of Marketing Practice for the pharmaceutical Industry which came into effective on January 2012. The revisions will affect three aspects of the IPHA Code on: Samples (Clause 13), Relationships with Patient Organizations (Annex III) and Pharmacovigilance (Clause 12).

Commenting on the revised Code, the IPHA’s scientific and regulatory affairs manager, Rebecca Cramp, said: “It is vital that a robust Code of Marketing Practice that secures the universal acceptance and adoption of high standards of conduct in the marketing of medicinal products to healthcare professionals is in place and is updated on an ongoing basis to reflect not only changes in legislation, but also patient and societal needs. These changes will lead to a more streamlined system of self-regulation, not only in Ireland, but also across the EU to the benefit of all citizens”.

Summary of changes to the IPHA Code