MA conduct code approval
October 29, 2012
MEDICINES Australia has
welcomed the ACCC’s draft
determination to grant
authorisation for its Code of
Conduct (PD breaking news Fri).
“We are pleased that the ACCC
acknowledges the new provisions
in the Code which are a major shift
towards greater transparency,” said
MA ceo Brendan Shaw.
He said that extensive
consultation with consumer groups,
academics, doctors and other
stakeholders had “strengthened the
code for the better”.
On Fri ACCC chairman Rod Sims
flagged the draft determination,
but warned that “community
expectations of disclosure by the
pharmaceutical industry have
increased and continue to increase”.
The draft ruling, which is still
subject to further submissions, is
for a three year approval rather
than the five years sought by
Medicines Australia.
Sims said that Mdeicines Australia
could go further in meeting
community expectations, and said
the three year approval period
would give the organisation time to
continue work already underway
on reviewing the code and make
any resulting changes.
The ACCC has acknowledged
MA’s leadership in convening a
“multi-stakeholder transparency
working group” which will look at
appropriate ways to disclose
payments to individual healthcare
professionals.
According to MA further details
sought by the regulator include
publication of reports in a
searchable format; whether the
complaints process could be made
more accessible for individuals; and
potential inclusion of
representatives of consumer and
healthcare professionals on the
Code Review Panel.
“Industry is keen to ensure its
conduct and Code continues to
reflect community expectations.
“We will consider the ACCC’s
requests to work towards a smooth
authorisation of the seventeenth
edition of our code,” Shaw said.
The new code is available online
at www.medicinesaustralia.com.au.
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