WHEN health professionals are provided with an "educational event", it has become legitimate practice for sponsoring companies to also provide refreshments, but within a very regulated framework, Medicines Australia has explained.
As sometimes the only way for pharmaceutical company representatives to access health professionals, the modest lunch or dinner has become a key element in the marketing mix.
A article recently in The Conversation challenged the impact of the practice, suggesting that if it didn't work (to influence uptake of a product), the pharmaceutical industry wouldn't do it.
Medicines Australia (MA) has again defended the practice highlighting the long hours some health professionals work and the practical use of their time to update their understanding around products across a lunchbreak meal.
Data produced by a new study showed that 82% of recipients were doctors, 39.6% were nurses, 38.3% were trainees and 8.4% pharmacists.
MA clarifed the restrictions and reporting requirements around this form of promotion - CLICK HERE.
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