[Practical application of the charter of pharmaceutical sales visit]

Visits from pharmaceutical representatives are controlled in France by regulations, but also by a Charter of good practice. The goal of this study was to measure compliance to the conditions of this charter by participating pharmaceutical companies.

An assessment grid was drafted to determine compliance to interdictions and obligations concerning the information provided during visits from pharmaceutical representatives.

We studied 20 visits from pharmaceutical representatives. All of the documents and obligatory information were only provided in 5% of cases. During 80% of these meetings, the pharmaceutical representatives made a comparison with competitor's drugs, which was associated with negative remarks in 44% of cases. The pharmaceutical representatives promoted cases of use outside those, which had received marketing approval in 35%. Gifts or samples were offered at the end of these meetings in 20% of cases. Prohibited practices were observed in a total of 85% of cases.

This study shows that meetings are respected by pharmaceutical representatives in terms of regulations related to donations. In opposite, there is a very low compliance concerning the proper use of the drug, whether to provide official documentation, to give information respectful of other pharmaceutical companies or to promote the proper use.

Our results suggest that, at present hospital visits by pharmaceutical representatives do not respect the commitments made by the pharmaceutical industry, and do not make it possible to ensure that honest information is provided to favor the proper use of drugs.