IFPMA Code Of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices — 2006 Revision

The ethical promotion of prescription medicines is vital to the pharmaceutical industry's mission of helping patients by discovering, developing and marketing new medicines. Ethical promotion helps to ensure that healthcare professionals have access to information they need, that patients have access to the medicines they need and that medicines are prescribed and used in a manner that provides the maximum healthcare benefit to patients.

IFPMA and its members are committed to educational and promotional efforts that benefit patients and promotional programs and collaborations that enhance the practice of medicine. IFPMA also seeks to preserve the independence of the decisions taken by healthcare professionals in prescribing medicines to patients. The pharmaceutical industry has an obligation and responsibility to provide accurate information and education about its products to healthcare professionals in order to establish a clear understanding of the appropriate use of prescription medicines. Industry relationships with healthcare professionals must support, and be consistent with, the professional responsibilities healthcare professionals have towards their patients. Pharmaceutical companies must maintain high ethical standards when conducting promotional activities and comply with applicable legal, regulatory and professional requirements. Through the promotion of this Code, IFPMA seeks to ensure that ethical promotional practices are established worldwide.

The IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices sets forth standards for the ethical promotion of pharmaceutical products to healthcare professionals, and for member companies' interactions with them. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, this Code replaces the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (Update 2000). Member associations of IFPMA must incorporate this Code into existing national codes no later than Jan. 1, 2007.