Pharmaceutical industry voluntary codes

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 voluntary self-regulation of the Pharmaceutical Industry or FSA code is based on the recommendations of the collaboration of physicians issued by the German Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA), the German Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (BAH) and the German Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (BPI). Although these recommendations have no legal authority, member companies agree to abide by this code. 

Many of the issues discussed above are addressed in the framework of medicines legislation and in codes such as the Declaration of Helsinki. The pharmaceutical industry also has some voluntary codes, e.g. in relation to advertising practices. 

---