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Pharmaceutical marketing must be complaint

Pharma Compliance Alert, February 13, 2008

Pharmaceutical companies need to find ways that are above reproach to communicate about their products.

That was the message Geno Germano, president US and general manager of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Collegeville, PA, delivered during the keynote address at CBI's Pharmaceutical Marketing Compliance Congress held in Washington, DC, January 28-29.

The way drugs are studied, priced, and promoted are all being questioned, he said. Nothing the industry does seems to be escaping some challenge or some criticism. Germano said. So, it is important to take the criticisms seriously.

However, Germano questioned the belief held by those outside of the industry that pharmaceutical companies have undue influence over physicians. He said physicians are influenced by a variety of factors and receive information from a variety of sources. Germano pointed out that of all the sources of potential information, only the pharmaceutical industry is regulated and required to provide a fair balance of information regarding its products.

Preventing the pharmaceutical industry from providing information to physicians "would be nothing short of censorship," Germano added.

Germano said pharmaceutical companies must be innovative, bring new products to market, and have the ability to communicate information, all in a compliant manner.

When the integrity of the industry is restored, Germano said, the customer view of the industry will be restored.

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