IFPMA
10.1.2019 10:02:09 CET | Business Wire | Press release
The new Code of Practice of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) came into effect on 1 January 2019. The 2019 Code is marked by two important changes. First, it bans gifts and promotional aids (so-called “goodies”) for prescription medicines, wherever IFPMA member companies operate. Second, it introduces a shift from a rules-based approach to a values-based Code, which seeks to help better guide business behaviors and interactions between IFPMA members and the healthcare community.
Part of the ban on gifts are any exceptions based on the custom of gifts to mark significant national, cultural or religious events (for example, mooncakes or condolence payments). This brings the rest of the world in line with current European and US guidelines. The ban reflects pharma industry’s commitment towards the general concern that the promotional items trivialize the important, professional relationship that must exist between medical representatives and healthcare professionals, and that has the patient’s interests at its core. This relationship is based on the concept that mutual exchange ensures that the patient benefits from all sides sharing expertise and scientific knowledge, enabling the development and effective use of new medicinal products and vaccines.
“We are glad to see that the new pharma industry Code of Practice is value-based, this will lead to the right instinct to put the patient first. From a patient perspective, we support self-regulation for all healthcare professionals and industry. It is important that when they step into a doctor’s cabinet, patients know that they can trust that advice. We are happy to work with the Code and promote it” said Kawaldip Sehmi, CEO of the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO).
Following months of internal preparation to get IFPMA member companies and associations ready for the 2019 Code, the updates were also presented to partners in the Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration , including international organizations representing physicians, patients, nurses, and pharmacists (WMA , IAPO , ICN , FIP ).
“Trust is the life-blood of our industry, it is the “north star” for our behaviors. It’s not just what pharmaceutical innovation achieves that matters, but also how the industry goes about achieving it. Implementing the new and revised Code in full is about walking the talk, about earning our license to operate. We encourage doctors, pharmacists, nurses and patients to become aware of the updated ethical standards. The better our stakeholders understand our standards and hold us to account, the easier it will be for us to live-up to our commitments ”, said Thomas Cueni, IFPMA Director-General.
While the 2019 Code still provides rules that drive compliance, IFPMA’s new Ethos aims to go beyond and seeks to instill a culture of ethics and integrity. Trust is at the center of the Ethos and the values of care, fairness, respect and honesty describe how the industry strives to achieve this trust. This new ethical framework will guide business behaviors and interactions between IFPMA members and the healthcare community, no matter how testing the circumstances.
Reflecting the unique role played by the research-based biopharmaceutical industry, the first international self-regulation mechanism in the biopharmaceutical industry was put in place in 1981, called the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practice. It preceded even the WHO Ethical Criteria on Medicinal Drug Promotion, which was issued in 1988. Since then, the Code has been revised five times, to ensure that the biopharmaceutical industry remains consistent with society’s changing needs and expectations. With the latest edition of IFPMA Code of Practice, the bar to meet expectations regarding compliance is set even higher.
About IFPMA
IFPMA represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. The research-based pharmaceutical industry’s 2 million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that improve the life of patients worldwide. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190110005004/en/
Contact:
IFPMA Morgane De Pol Manager, Communications and Public Affairs m.depol@ifpma.org + 41 22 38 32 00 / +41 79 962 11 95
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
EVE Energy Showcases All-Scenario Energy Storage Solutions at The Smarter E Europe 20261.7.2026 03:45:00 CEST | Press release
EVE Energy unveiled its Mr. Big Family series, a 6.9+ MWh energy storage system, and all-scenario energy storage solutions at Intersolar Europe in Munich. Drawing on traceable large-cell technology, proven large-scale energy storage project delivery experience, and global delivery capabilities, the company is addressing Europe's diverse energy storage requirements across utility-scale, commercial & industrial (C&I ), and data center segments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260630889717/en/ EVE Energy showcases its Mr. Giant 3.0 6.9+ MWh energy storage system at The Smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, Germany Advancing Large-Cell Technology with Global Project Validation As one of the first companies to focus on large-capacity energy storage cells, EVE Energy has iteratively upgraded its cell platform from 560 Ah and 628 Ah to 702 Ah, adhering to a stacking process route throughout. At the exhibition, the Mr. Gia
Bending Spoons S.p.A. announces pricing of initial public offering1.7.2026 01:56:00 CEST | Press release
Bending Spoons S.p.A. (“Bending Spoons”), a leading technology company, today announces the pricing of its initial public offering (“IPO”) at $29.00 per share. A total of 57,971,015 ordinary shares are being offered, of which 34,398,640 shares are being offered by Bending Spoons and 23,572,375 shares are being offered by certain selling shareholders (the “Selling Shareholders”). Bending Spoons will not receive any proceeds from any sale of shares by the Selling Shareholders. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “BSP” on July 1, 2026. The offering is expected to close on July 2, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. In addition, Bending Spoons and the Selling Shareholders granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 5,244,026 ordinary shares from Bending Spoons and up to an additional 3,451,626 ordinary shares from the Selling Shareholders at the initial public offering price, less underwriting
FDA Issues Modified Risk Tobacco Product Orders for 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products30.6.2026 18:19:00 CEST | Press release
FDA’s decision makes ZYN the first nicotine pouch product to receive MRTP orders authorizing reduced-risk claims versus cigarettes Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) orders for 20 variants of ZYN nicotine pouch products. These are the first MRTP orders granted for nicotine pouches, allowing PMI U.S. to market the following claim for the authorized ZYN products: “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.” “FDA’s decision is an important moment for the more than 45 million legal-age nicotine consumers in America,” saidStacey Kennedy, PMI U.S. CEO. “Today’s news ensures these adultshave access to accurate, science-based information, including FDA-authorized evidence that switching from cigarettes to ZYN reduces the risk of smoking-related diseases like heart disease
Caidya Announces Strategic Combination with Simbec-Orion Bridging Early Scientific Insight and Global Clinical Execution30.6.2026 17:00:00 CEST | Press release
Caidya today announced a strategic combination with Simbec-Orion designed to close the divide between early scientific insight and global clinical execution. The combination of Caidya and Simbec-Orion creates a differentiated specialty clinical CRO platform that enables programs to scale, maintaining focus, speed, and accountability. The strategic combination brings together complementary strengths to create a more complete development partner for innovative biopharma companies. With established operations across Europe, the Americas, APAC, and China, the combined organization provides meaningful expertise and execution capabilities in the regions that matter most. Simbec-Orion brings early-phase clinical pharmacology capabilities alongside deep therapeutic expertise for later stage complex oncology and rare disease trials, helping sponsors shape critical decisions early in the development lifecycle. Together, the organizations strengthen their ability to support complex, cross-border
Archer® Proves Purpose-Built AI Beats General-Purpose LLMs on Regulatory Change Management: 95% Verified Accuracy, 80x Faster, 92% Lower Cost30.6.2026 16:13:00 CEST | Press release
In a head-to-head benchmark, a leading general-purpose LLM was confidently wrong 35% of the time on regulatory dates. Archer Evolv™ shipped zero errors. For enterprises deploying AI in compliance, a wrong date is a missed deadline. The more dangerous failure is a wrong answer the model returns with high confidence, one that flows silently into a compliance calendar and is only discovered after the window has passed. Archer® today released results showing purpose-built AI beats a general-purpose large language model (LLM) on regulatory work, and it’s not close. This head-to-head test compared Archer’s purpose-built, vertical-specific AI and proprietary data sets against a leading general-purpose LLM, on a core compliance task: determining the publication, effective and comment-close dates of regulatory documents across six jurisdictions. General-purpose models are a genuine breakthrough, and this is no referendum on their quality. The question Archer set out to answer is narrower and mo
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom