Pharmacy Daily | AMA slams generics code

THE Australian Medical Association has urged the Generics Medicines Industry Association to include disclosure of spending on educational activities for pharmacists as part of th proposed GMiA Code of Practice which is currently under ACCC consideration. “While there is no financial gain to doctors from prescribing one brand of pharmaceutical over the other, community pharmacy does have a pecuniary interest in dispensing a particular medicine,” an AMA submission said. “Loyalty programs which reward pharmacies with gifts in exchange for dispensing the company’s generic drugs interferes with the professional obligations of pharmacists to remain impartial about their dispensing decision. “Therefore it is appropriate for GMiA member companies to report on all educational events, not just those provided to prescribers”. The AMA made reference to a survey conducted by the Health Department in 2006 which found that 97% of decisions about whether a generic was dispensed rather than the originator drug were made by pharmacists. Medicines Australia also backed the call for disclosure of incentives to both prescribers and dispensers, saying that the GMiA code should impose the same requirements on members as those required by the Medicines Australia code.

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