ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GMiA
The following articles have the tag GMiA
Govt backdown on PBS listings
CONSUMER and pharmaceutical industry groups have welcomed a government backdown on PBS listings that will see 48 medicines, including all medicines deferred from listing in February, included on the scheme from 1 December. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the new listings this morning along with a promise from the government not to defer any drugs recommended for listing by the PBAC that would cost less than $10 million a year for the next 12 months. In return, the Consumers Health Forum, Generic Medicines Industry Association and Medicines Australia have agreed to work with ...
Govt-industry summit to look at PBS listing issues
HEALTH Minister Nicola Roxon will meet representatives of the Consumers Health Forum, the AMA, Medicines Australia and the Generic Medicines Industry Association in Melbourne tomorrow to discuss Government delays in the listing of new medicines on the PBS. The summit talks follow recent incidences of medicines recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee for Government subsidy being deferred by the Labor Cabinet, including treatments for lung disease, chronic pain, schizophrenia and enlarged prostate. A catch-up vaccine to prevent pneumococcal disease in young children was also delayed. Another seven new drugs recommended by the committee for PBS ...
Generics industry education spending scrutinised
MEMBERS of the Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) have published their first quarterly report detailing the education and hospitality provided to prescribing healthcare professionals. The report is the first to be published since conditional authorisation – which requires members to disclose all hospitality and educational events to healthcare professionals – was granted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in December. The most costly event was provided by Ascent Pharmaceuticals, at a total of $3502 for 25 attendees – an average of $140 per attendee. For the quarter 1 April to 30 September 2010, member ...
Pharmacist rewards scheme avoids scrutiny
A COMPLAINT against a multi-million dollar pharmacist loyalty scheme will not be investigated by the Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA), a situation that has frustrated the complainant. Operated by Sigma Pharmaceuticals, the loyalty scheme allocates pharmacists points for each dollar spent on products distributed by the company, which can then be exchanged for rewards such as fine dining, holidays and spa treatments. Earlier this year, Dr Ken Harvey, senior research fellow at La Trobe University, lodged a complaint against the scheme with the GMiA, arguing the scheme had the potential to influence pharmacists’ professional judgement, and was ...
Pharmacists face scrutiny over dealings with generics
PHARMACISTS will face the same level of scrutiny as doctors in their dealings with pharmaceutical companies, with generic manufacturers now required to report on hospitality, loyalty schemes, incentives and gifts offered to pharmacists. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced plans to grant a conditional three-year authorisation to the Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) Code of Practice. But it has imposed the condition that GMiA members – who supply more than 90% of generic medicines in Australia – will be required to disclose all non-cash incentives for pharmacists, as well as doctors. GMiA CEO Kate ...
ACCC to boost scrutiny of pharmacists and generics industry
RELATIONSHIPS between pharmacists and generic pharmaceutical companies will soon be subject to a high level of scrutiny. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) yesterday announced it planned to grant conditional authorisation to the second edition of the Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) Code of Practice. However, as a condition it will require GMiA members to disclose details about the hospitality and entertainment provided at pharmacist education events. Previously, the code stipulated that members would only be required to report on educational events attended by doctors. “While the ACCC is proposing to grant authorisation, this is ...
Complaint set to ‘test’ new generics code
SIGMA Pharmaceuticals’ million-dollar pharmacist loyalty program is the subject of the first complaint related to the Generic Medicines Industry Association’s (GMIA) new code of practice. According to Dr Ken Harvey, senior research fellow at La Trobe University in Victoria, the program is in breach of two sections of the new code. The code states that GMIA members must not engage in activities that “interfere with or impede” the independence of health professionals. The Sigma Rewards program offers pharmacists “points” for every dollar they spend on products distributed by the company. These points can later be exchanged for ...
Generic medicines code panned as weak, vague
THE Generic Medicines Industry Association’s (GMIA) first ever code of practice has been written off by experts as inconsistent and lacking the teeth of the code for innovator pharmaceutical companies. The new code lists the principles GMIA members must abide by when promoting their products to health professionals, and sets out a series of fines for those who breach it. The top fine is $75,000, significantly less than the top fine of $250,000 that Medicines Australia (MA) can impose on its members. “The principle-based approach...encourages members to think about the reasons behind their activities, as opposed to ...