Pharmaceutical industry IFPMA

International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA) (1995), GATT, TRIPs and the Pharmaceutical Industry a Review, Geneva IFPMA. 

The IFPMA is a federation of member associations representing the research-based pharmaceutical industry and other manufacturers of prescription medicines in 56 countries throughout the world. The IFPMA has been closely associated with ICH since its inception to ensure contact with the research-based industry, outside the ICH regions. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, it serves as the ICH Secretariat. 

John Griffin was the director of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry from 1984 to 1994. During this time he was a member of the Executive Board of the European Federation of the Pharmaceutical Industries Associations and IFPMA. He chaired the ICH Safety Working Group from 1988 to 1994 and presented papers at ICHl and ICH2 in the plenary sessions. 

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). 

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA). IFPMA represents the worldwide research-based pharmaceutical industry and facilitates the development of position statements on policy issues. It serves as a bridge between industry, the WHO, and other international health agencies. It also serves at the ICH secretariat. 

The International Conferences was jointly supported and organized by the Commission of the European Communities (CEC), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW), together with the pharmaceutical industry, as represented by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA), the US Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA) and the Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA). 

Secretariat The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (IFPMA) is a Federation of Member Associations representing the research-based pharmaceutical industry and other manufacturers of prescription medicines in 56... 

It also contains some information on the regulatory framework in these countries. There is some information about Mexico, but the self-regulatory code could not be found. In addition there are some overarching international codes of conduct, such as the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) code, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). 

An important feature of the code is its universal applicability. All companies that are members of an affiliated trade association (e.g. ABPI [Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries], LEEM [Les enterprises du medicament or French Pharmaceutical Companies Association], LIF [Swedish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry], Interpharma) are required to apply the minimum standards of the code wherever they do business. Companies entering into licensing and agency agreements are expected to require their licensees and agents to respect the provisions of 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. 

The Swiss Pharmaceutical Industry has a self-regulatory code of conduct the Pharma code. This code takes into account, in particular, the codes issued by the IFPMA and the EFPIA, as well as the recommendations of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences relating to collaboration between the medical profession and the industry. In addition, the provisions of the Federal Law against Unfair Competition of 1986 must be observed. 

There are six parties directly involved in ICH as well as observers and the International Federation of Pharmaceufical Manufacturers Association (IFPMA see Table 25.1). The six parties are the founder members of ICH, and fhey represenf fhe regulatory bodies and the research-based industry in the European Union (EU), Japan, and the United States in the EU, the European Federation of Pharmaceufical Indusfries and Associations (EFPIA) and the Ministry of Healfh, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan, the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and in the United States, the FDA and the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). 

Industry relationships with healthcare professionals must support, and be consistent with, the professional responsibilities that 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. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Center for Biologies Evaluation and Research, ICH Guidance for Industry. S7A Safety Pharmacology Studies for Human Pharmaceuticals, July 2001 (http / /www.ifpma.org/ich5s. html)... 

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