Gifts and promotional aids

Cash Payments in cash or cash equivalents (such as gift certificate) must not be offered to healthcare professionals. 

Personal gifts Gifts for the personal benefit of healthcare professionals (including, but not limited to, music CDs, DVDs, sporting or entertainment tickets, electronic items) must not be provided or offered. 

Promotional aids Promotional aids or reminder items may be provided or offered to healthcare professionals and appropriate administrative staff, provided that the gift is of minimal value and relevant to the practice of the healthcare professional. 

Cultural courtesy gifts In some countries, if allowed under local law and in accordance with local practice, an inexpensive gift not related to the practice of medicine may be given on an infrequent basis to healthcare professionals in acknowledgement of significant national, cultural or religious holidays. 

Value of gifts Member associations shall provide guidance, using local currency, on the precise value of gifts and define what constitutes significant national, cultural or religious holidays or events. 

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Table 3.3 Key issues for gifts and promotional aids at international congresses...

Gifts and promotional aids are usually inexpensive items that are branded with a product name as the name suggests, they are given to health professionals who visit the booth as part of the product promotion. In many countries they are referred to as reminder items and are intended for use by healthcare professionals in their daily practice and so act as a reminder of the product name. 

IFPMA No cash or personal gifts allowed. Promotional aids or reminder items of minimal value and cultural courtesy gifts may be permitted No guidance found No guidance found... 

If the gift/promotional aid incorporates more than the name of the preparation, approved name and company logo then it must also contain abbreviated prescribing information. 

Gifts in the form of promotional aids and prizes, whether related to a particular product or of general utility, may be distributed to members of health professions, provided that the gift or prize is modest in monetary value and relevant to the practice of their profession or employment. Small gift items used as reminders should have modest monetary value (YTL20 per item). 

Promotional aids, gifts, hospitality, supply of free samples and the conduct and training of medical representatives all fall as squarely within the regulations as printed and audiovisual promotional materials. 

The authors would like to thank Asahi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., for the gift of ADP-HK. This work is supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) No. 13672431 from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the High-Technology Research Center Project from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan and Japan Health Sciences Foundation. 

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