South Africa to get new drug industry code of practice

The South African pharmaceutical industry has provided its views on a new marketing code of practice to be enforced in part by voluntary agreements and also via legislation. The aim of the new policy is to ensure greater public confidence in pharmaceutical firms' ethical standards, as well as bring South Africa's drug business into line with other countries.

Under the industry's proposals, a new Medicines Code Authority would be established to provide a first point to investigate and settle complaints about unethical or questionable marketing practices by drug companies. The MCA would be funded by the drug industry, but run independently. Val Beaumont, a spokeswoman for the Innovative Medicines SA, a group representing six foreign drug majors, was quoted in the South Africa-based Business Day as stating: "an act that promotes under or overutilization of products will be sanctioned." However, issues unresolved by this body would be referred to the law courts or to the government's Medicines Control Council.

Two other drug industry groups, Pharmaceuticals Made in SA and the generic-sector National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, also contributed to the consultation process by the South African government.