GMiA benefits ‘insignificant’
September 27, 2010
THE Generic Medicines Industry
Association is continuing to resist
the ACCC requirement that the
GMiA code of conduct include
provisions which would reveal the
value of “benefits” such as
incentive programs and
entertainment to pharmacists.
In March the GMiA applied for
ACCC authorisation of its code,
which was in May amended with a
second edition - which the ACCC
authorised in August with a draft
determination imposing significant
additional conditions.
This included the extra
requirement of disclosure of
benefits provided to pharmacists -
similar to provisions in the
Medicines Australia code of
conduct which forces
manufacturers to reveal the value
of benefits provided to doctors.
The ACCC is now considering its
final ruling, with a deadline of 11
November, and has requested extra
information from the GMiA.
In a submission published over
the weekend, the GMiA said that
“the current level of non-price
benefits as a proportion of total
benefits provided to pharmacy...is
less than 1%.
“The monetary value of the nonprice
benefits is insignificant,” the
GMiA insisted.
The association pointed out that
the code also requires members to
take all reasonable steps to avoid
conflicts of interest to ensure their
actions and relationships with
health professionals “do not bring
discredit to the Generic Medicines
Industry sector”.
And the code also requires
members to ensure that their
behaviour doesn’t interfere with or
impede the independence of
healthcare professionals or their
professional judgment, GMiA said.
“Non-price benefits provided by
members of GMiA are of small
financial value and directed at the
enhancement of pharmacy services
and/or building a business
relationship between the supplier
and the pharmacist.
“As such this is not a major factor
in a pharmacy’s decision to use a
particular brand of product,” the
submission claims.
The association also concluded
that the relationship between the
supplier and the pharmacy “does
not influence or change the type of
generic medicine dispensed and
therefore there is little or no impact
on the patient”.
One of the major incentive
programs operated by GMiA
members is the Sigma Rewards
scheme, a loyalty program under
which pharmacy owners earn points
when they purchase Sigma generics
and which are redeemable for
items such as TVs or holidays.
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