Fair Marketing
We believe that collaboration with medical institutions is essential to deliver
innovative pharmaceuticals.
In such collaborations, we pursue "trustworthy corporate activities," one of
our Declaration of Conduct. We comply with various laws and regulations, promote transparent and fair
marketing with the highest level of ethics.
Transparency in Partnerships with Medical Institutions
Our mission as an R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company is to contribute to the health of people and medical care around the world through continually researching and developing new drugs and providing a stable supply of pharmaceuticals. In order to fulfill this mission, it is essential to collaborate with research organizations including medical institutions and universities in all stages from drug discovery to post-marketing information provision activities ensuring the proper use of pharmaceuticals.
In this circumstances, Sumitomo Pharma believes that it is critical to raise awareness and increase understanding throughout society that activities designed to improve coordination between medical institutions is undertaken in accordance with high ethical standards.
The Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) issued its Transparency Guideline for the Relation between Corporate Activities and Medical Institutions*1 in 2011. As a member of the JPMA, we established our own Guidelines for Transparency in Partnerships with Medical Institutions in 2011. In accordance with these guidelines, we publicly disclose information on our corporate website on such issues as payments that we make to medical institutions and healthcare professionals.
Guidelines Concerning Transparency in Collaborations with Medical Institutions (PDF/152KB) (in Japanese only)
Our approach to promotional activities for healthcare professionals
Promotional activities for pharmaceuticals are important activities for providing accurate information of the pharmaceuticals to healthcare professionals in an appropriate manner so that the products can be used safely and properly. We believe that providing high-quality information is necessary without concern.
In compliance with the IFPMA Code of Practice, the JPMA Code of Practice, and Guidelines for Prescription Drug Marketing Information Provision issued by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Sumitomo Pharma has drawn up the “Rules for Marketing Information Provision” and established the “Department Responsible for Supervising Marketing Information Provision.” The Department Responsible for Supervising Marketing Information Provision supervises and provides guidance to departments that implement detailing activities, examines and approves materials, carries out monitoring as well as education and training for officers and employees, responds to the monitoring activities conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, operates a complaints desk and handles complaints. As an advisory body to the Department Responsible for Supervising Marketing Information Provision, we have established the “Review and Supervisory Committee,” which is held regularly. It has an external chairperson who is completely independent of our company.
Sumitomo Pharma has drawn up internal rules for the examination of materials for use in promotional activities titled “Rules for Examination of Materials Used in Marketing Information Provision” and created an internal structure for examination and approval of such materials.
Points focused on in examination of materials
- Accuracy, fairness and objectivity
- Scientific rationale
- Balance between efficacy and safety information
- No information regarding indications, or dosage and administration not approved by regulatory authorities
The department in charge of medical science examines whether materials are accurately created based on a scientific rationale, and the department in charge of compliance examines and approves materials based on whether they comply with the respective laws and regulations, industry codes and internal policies. Sales & Marketing Division using the materials is not involved in any way in examination or approval. The use of unexamined, unapproved materials is forbidden in all departments and they conduct promotional activities in a proper manner.
In addition, Sumitomo Pharma makes efforts to conduct fair promotional activities in compliance with the Fair Competition Code Concerning Restriction on Premium Offers in Ethical Pharmaceutical Drugs Marketing Industry which is specified by the Fair Trade Council of the Ethical Pharmaceutical Drugs Marketing Industry, the IFPMA Code of Practice, and the JPMA Code of Practice.
Comment from the Person in Charge
Currently, there is an overwhelming amount of information available in the world. Information related to pharmaceuticals and diseases is a mix of reliable and unreliable sources, and there are even instances of misinformation.
We believe that for patients to use pharmaceuticals without concern, it is necessary to provide accurate and high-quality information. Therefore, we review the information we disseminate about pharmaceuticals and diseases from the perspectives of whether it is "accurate, fair, and objective," "based on scientific evidence," "provides information not only on efficacy but also on safety (risks)," and "does not include unapproved indications or dosages." This ensures that we provide reliable, high-quality, and trustworthy information.
Kimiko TsuchimoriCompliance Group Manager, Legal & Compliance
(The
divisions that the person featured in this article belonged to and the names of
those divisions are current as of the time of the interview.)
Provide information through various channels
https://sumitomo-pharma.jp (in Japanese only)
We provide healthcare professionals in Japan with information that we believe is
useful in their line of work via a dedicated website to support better patient care. The content offered
includes basic product information and notices of revisions to information such as package inserts or
packaging labels, FAQs, patient instruction documents, and Healthcare Experience, which highlights advanced
healthcare initiatives that we hope will provide a better patient experience.
In conjunction with visits
to medical institutions by MRs, we use various channels of communication to provide targeted and timely
information to healthcare professionals. In addition to the provision of product information on this website,
we provide live-streaming of lectures from our own studio and distribute e-mail newsletters.
We are
committed to meeting societal expectations and enhancing our value to stakeholders by conducting our corporate
activities with high ethical standards and transparency.