Drug Topics - November 19, 2007 - (Page H1)

www.drugtopics.com NOVEMBER 19, 2007 DRUG TOPICS HSE 1 ACCP releases position paper on ethical interactions Heidi Belden, Pharm.D. magine this scenario: The Food & Drug Administration has just approved the first in a new class of agents for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. You are considered an expert in the field and have been invited by the manufacturer to a meeting where you will be trained as a speaker for the company. The meeting will be held in Vail, Colo., and will include a one-hour morning session followed by a five-hour break including two free ski-lift tickets for your use. The meeting will reconvene later that day for an additional two hours followed by a reception and dinner. For your participation, you will receive $3,000 and reimbursement for your travel and lodging expenses. Would you participate? This is just one of eight cases that were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy last month in Denver as examples of professional situations routinely encountered by pharmacists that are potentially ethically inappropriate. At a town hall meeting, ACCP’s Public and Professional Affairs Committee presented its new position paper, Pharmacists and Industry: Guidelines for Ethical Interactions, an update to the original paper developed in 1993. According to committee co-chair, Randy Hatton, Pharm.D., FCCP BCPS, “We had the opportunity to , include supporting information from the new PhRMA [Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America] code, the Office of Inspector General’s [OIG] compliance program for pharmacy and manufacturers, and the new standards of support for CME [continuing medical education]—which is applicable to continuing education for pharmacists.” I practice guidelines. The position statement also emphasizes that the pharmacist’s primary concern should be patient welfare, as well as maintaining the confidentiality of the patient and the prescriber for all industry interactions. “What we’re recommending here is that you review this position statement, develop your own set of guidelines and principles and, as situations arise, modify them and encourage dialogue among your colleagues so that we can all come to a professional and ethical framework on which to function,” Hatton explained. One of the biggest changes from the old guidelines is the issue of conflict of interest and disclosure. “What has been recognized since that time is that disclosure by itself is insufficient,” Hatton said. Experts in their field The new paper also speaks to pharmacists who function as experts. Hatton said that pharmacists who serve on formulary committees and guideline panels and have conflicts of interest should not participate in a final vote that leads to a decision. As part of the case presentations, ACCP included findings from a survey of 9,000 of its members. In early October, ACCP e-mailed the eight cases to respondents, allowing them five days to read the cases and decide how they would handle the situation. Of those e-mailed, 795 were returned, an almost 9% response rate. Appropriate answers for each case, based on the new position statement, were then presented to the audience. In addition to using the new guidelines, Hatton suggested that pharmacists spend some time assessing their own behavior. “Ask yourself, What would my patients and peers think?” he said. “It’s a serious question. How would what I’m doing be perceived if it appeared on the front page of a newspaper? or Would it hold up in an interview on ‘60 Minutes’?” he asked rhetorically. “One of the most important tests is not what you think, but what others think.” The new ACCP position statement can be accessed on-line at www.accp.com/position/Guidelines_for_ Ethical_Interactions_DRAFT.pdf. DT Is it appropriate? The position paper includes 10 guidelines that highlight the appropriateness of pharmacists’ engagement in activities ranging from accepting gifts, performing educational programs, doing research, as well as acceptable behavior for R.Ph.s who participate on formulary committees, institutional review boards, or are involved in developing clinical Photo: Stephen E. Munz http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.accp.com/position/Guidelines_for_Ethical_Interaction_DRAFT.pdf http://www.accp.com/position/Guidelines_for_Ethical_Interaction_DRAFT.pdf

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Drug Topics - November 19, 2007 Contents Latebreakers Letters Leukemia Patients Now Have More Options First-in-Class HIV Drug Boon to Patients at End of Tether 150 Years of American Pharmacy Pharmacy Schools Confront New Pressures From Pariah to Patient ACCP Releases Position Paper on Ethical Interactions New Injectable Antibiotic Welcomed with Open Arms NCCN Updates Head and Neck Cancer Guide Improved Phosphate Binder Approved for Dialysis Patients Considering Combination Concern Ensuring Seamless Care Bill Would Create Center for Comparative Effectiveness Hospital Improves Patient Safety with Automatic Drug Distribution System Infection Rates, Patient Stays Drop with New Drug Device How R.Ph.s Helped Three Hospitals Win Quality and Safety Awards A Pharmacist and Dog in Tow are Alzheimer’s Patients’ Best Friends More PBMs Agreeing to Pricing Transparency New Insulins in the Management of Diabetes New Products Advertisers Index Classified VIEWPOINT: Reflections on Pharmacy School After 30 Years

Drug Topics - November 19, 2007

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