Code of Conduct

Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that the references to Code sections relate to Edition 16 of the Code of Conduct, which is the edition under which the educational event reports for 1 October 2010 – 30 March 2011 were made.

What types of events are included in the company reports?

Company reports include all educational meetings and symposia held or sponsored by that pharmaceutical company.

  • Congress – these are extended educational meetings usually organised by a medical society or college, university or other non-pharmaceutical company entity.
  • Symposium – is a meeting between a number of experts in a particular field at which papers are presented by specialists on particular subjects and discussed. Symposia may be organised by a pharmaceutical company as a separate educational event or as a satellite to another congress or conference.
  • Satellite – meetings held in conjunction with international or Australasian congresses, under the auspice of a non-company entity.
  • Grand Rounds – a formal meeting at which physicians discuss the clinical case of one or more patients. Grand rounds originated as part of residency training wherein new information was taught and clinical reasoning skills were enhanced. Grand rounds today are an integral component of medical education.
  • Journal Club – a group of individuals (usually within a hospital setting) who meet regularly to critically evaluate recent articles in scientific literature.
  • In-service – a set of lectures, tutorials or other formalised teaching within the hospital setting.
  • Company event – an educational event organised by a pharmaceutical company for healthcare professionals.
  • Meeting
  • Conference
  • Seminar

Why do companies undertake educational events or sponsor a third party to conduct an educational event?

Companies undertake educational events or sponsor a third party to conduct an educational event to improve the understandings of doctors and other healthcare professionals regarding the current developments in disease management.

Patients benefit from the continuing education of doctors. Patients gain benefits of new treatment options, better control of risk factors, access to new drugs and expanded use for existing drugs, appropriate dosing, vital information about new safety developments, and potential interactions with other drugs.

Reliable, timely access to such information is crucial for doctors, who are trusted by their patients to make sound prescribing decisions based on the most up-to-date information available.

Who is a healthcare professional?

Under the provisions of the Code of Conduct a healthcare professional is a member of a medical, dental, pharmacy or nursing profession and any other person who in the course of their professional activities may prescribe, supply or administer a prescription medicine.

What’s the difference between ‘hospitality’ and ‘entertainment’?

Under the provisions of the Code of Conduct ‘hospitality’ means the provision of food and beverages. ‘Entertainment’ is the provision of diversion or amusement such as sporting events, the theatre, musical or cultural activities. ‘Entertainment’ is prohibited under the Code of Conduct.

Why is Medicines Australia publishing this information?

We have listened to the criticism that we need to be more transparent about how we conduct educational meetings and symposia for doctors and other healthcare professionls. We accept that we have a responsibility to be fully transparent about these educational events, which is why we’re complying with the letter and also the spirit of the ACCC’s requirement. Medicines Australia will continue to work very closely with the ACCC to ensure we deliver on that commitment.

Why can’t I find a report for all pharmaceutical companies in Australia?

As a condition of membership of Medicines Australia all member companies undertake to comply with all aspects of the Code of Conduct and to adhere strictly to the highest ethical standards for the industry. Some member companies have signed a verification statement to the effect that they did not hold or sponsor any educational events during the reporting period.

Non-member companies were not included in the ACCC decision. Although not required we strongly encourage all pharmaceutical companies in Australia to show the same level of transparency in their dealings with healthcare professionals.

The Generic Medicines Industry Association’s members are also regulated under a Code of Practice which came into force in March 2010. The GMIA Code of Practice requires members to report educational events in a similar manner to the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct. These reports can be viewed on the GMIA website

Who will police the accuracy of company reports?

All companies have provided Medicines Australia with a signed verification statement “that the company has made all reasonable enquiries and to the best of their knowledge, the information in the educational event report is accurate and contains all educational meetings and symposia as defined in Sections 6, 7 and 10 of the Code held or sponsored by the company in the reporting period”.

Companies have a strong incentive to ensure the reports they submit to Medicines Australia for publication are comprehensive and accurate. Ultimately, member companies have an interest to ensure the ACCC requirement is met in full because authorisation of the Code of Conduct depends on it. Because information about educational events is now in the public domain, the omission or misrepresentation of any relevant detail is likely to be identified  by some of the healthcare professionals who attend these events.

How can I tell from these reports whether an event has breached the Code?

The Code has sections pertaining to the provision of hospitality (Sections 9.4.3 and 9.5.5 ), entertainment (Sections 9.4.6 and 9.5.8), venue selection (Section 9.4.2 and 9.5.4), travel (Section 9.4.4 ), accommodation (Section 9.4.5 ), educational events (Section 9.3 ) and sponsorship (Section 9.7 )

Information on these sections can be found in the latest edition of the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct

The decisions of the Code of Conduct Committee in relation to previous educational event reports can be viewed in the Code of Conduct Annual Report (Note: the first reporting period was 1 July-31 December 2007).
In reviewing a complaint in relation to an educational event, held or sponsored by a pharmaceutical company, the Code of Conduct Committee considers a range of factors. For example:

  • Was the primary objective of the event the enhancement of medical knowledge?
  • Was the hospitality consistent with the professional standing of the audience but not extravagant?
  • Was the venue suitable for the attainment of the primary objective of enhancing medical knowledge?

What do I do if I want to make a complaint?

Complaints are accepted from healthcare professionals, members of the general public and pharmaceutical companies. Information on lodging a complaint can be found on the Lodging and Responding to a Code of Conduct Complaint section

Page updated: June 2011