Marketing IFPMA code

Where a journal is produced in the UK but intended for distribution solely to overseas countries local requirements and/or the requirements of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA) Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices should be borne in mind. 

IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations)... 

In the same way that the medical profession has recognized the need to provide its members with guidance on their relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, the pharmaceutical industry has realized that its employees need guidance as well. The industry is concerned that its employees may sully the pharmaceutical industry s reputation. The industry does not want their interactions with healthcare professionals to be perceived as inappropriate by patients or the public at large (PhRMA 2002). In order to avoid being overrun with the detailed nature of voluntary codes at the level of national associations, it is perhaps most instructive to start with the general principles contained in the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (IFPMA 2000). 

International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations. 2000. IFPMA Code of Marketing Practices. Available at http //www.ifpma.org/News/news market.aspx [Accessed November 16, 2005]. 

In consultation with the industry, marketing communication policy guidelines are being drawn which are in line with the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (IFPMA) code. 

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) code is intended to provide minimum standards and universal principles for ethical marketing conduct on which national codes can be based. It is used as an operational code only in those countries (e.g. less developed countries) where no other code exists. In practice the self-regulatory national codes in developed countries are usually stricter and more detailed than the IFPMA code. 

Additional self-regulatory industry associations include Canada s research-based pharmaceutical companies which have a code of marketing practice based on the principles of the IFPMA, called the Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) this administers the Canada Code of Advertising Standards (ASC). It is not specific to the pharmaceutical industry but relates to advertising in general. 

International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. Code of Marketing Practices, April 2006 (www.ifpma.org/pdf/IFPMA-TheCode-FinalVersion-30May2006-EN.pdf). 

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