Successful Meetings - August 2008 - (Page 32)

Planner’s Workshop > On Site Understanding the PhRMA Code By Judy Benaroche Johnson, CMP There are industry trade meetings, and then there are pharmaceutical industry meetings. Knowing the difference between the two is crucial for medical meeting planners and the pharmaceutical companies that employ them. Let’s consider your average electronics industry blow-out in Las Vegas. Can companies provide ground transportation to attendees? Yes—in a stretch Hummer with bar, banquettes, video players, sunroof and, well, anything else they want. Now, let’s say you have a group of 15 physician consultants coming to a quiet, four-star hotel on the outskirts of Las Vegas to review ongoing pharmaceutical trial results. Can you provide transportation? Yes—for their convenience, for the efficiency of the meeting, and for security. ACCEPTABLE NOT ACCEPTABLE But you can’t do it for entertainment purposes or to impress them. Modest Town Cars will do just fine to convey your guests. As with just about everything that has to do with the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, certain important terms appear with great regularity. One example is the word “modest,” as in “modest, as judged by local standards.” But what does “modest” mean when accommodating the needs of affluent, highly educated, well-traveled, often demanding, and time-pressured physicians? Like our great legal code in general, it’s a matter of interpretation. This is vexing for meeting planners and their clients, because it’s always simpler to have Tools of the Trade BY VINCENT ALONZO PASSPORT HOUSE CALLS For business executives, movie stars, VIPs—and meeting attendees, passport expediter ItsEasy.com now makes office and house calls. ItsEasy can take passport photos and collect the appropriate documentation in a traveler’s office or home and, depending on the urgency and the fee paid, return with a renewed passport on (sometimes) the same day. Visit www.itseasy.com for more information. BAG THOSE AIRLINE FEES With the airlines now charging for checked luggage, it has never been more important to find a carry-on bag that will help you save money. Briggs & Riley 20” Carry-On Superlight Upright from the signature Baseline Collection (U420S) is extremely lightweight and roomy enough to fit all your travel necessities. It features Briggs & Riley’s Outsider handle for wrinkle-free, flat packing, and a snap-in removable waterproof pocket for toiletries. Visit www.briggs-riley.com for more information. 32 mimegasite.com AUGUST 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS http://ItsEasy.com http://www.itseasy.com http://www.briggs-riley.com http://mimegasite.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - August 2008

Successful Meetings - August 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Industry Events
On the Record
Technology
Calendar
Websites of the Month
Personal Success
Technology Talk
Food & Beverage
Pre-Event
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Pre-Event
Crude Awakening
Oil’s Well
Betting on Development
The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
No Spa, No Dice
New & Improved Bean Counting
Places & Spaces
Cleveland
Palm Springs, Desert Resorts
Midwest Meetings
San Antonio
Yucatan Peninsula
Gurus

Successful Meetings - August 2008