Many gifts that have been historically given pharmacists by the pharmaceutical industry serve an important and socially beneficial function. For example, companies often provide the funding for educational conferences and seminars. However, some gifts may not be consistent with the ethical practice of pharmacy or in the best interests of the patients we serve. To avoid the acceptance of inappropriate gifts, pharmacists should observe the following guidelines:

• Any gifts accepted by pharmacists individually should primarily entail a benefit to patients and should not be of substantial value. Accordingly, textbooks, reprints or journals, modest meals and other gifts are appropriate if they serve a genuine educational function. Cash payments should not be accepted.
• Individual gifts of minimal value are permissible as long as they are related to the pharmacist's work (eg, pens, notepads, etc.).
• Subsidies to underwrite the costs of continuing education conferences or professional meetings should be accepted by the conference's sponsor, who, in turn, can use the money to reduce the conference's registration fees.
• Subsidies from industry should not be accepted directly or indirectly to pay for the costs of travel, lodging, or other personal expenses of the pharmacists who are attending the conference or meetings, nor should monies be accepted to compensate for the pharmacist's time. Support for hospitality should involve only modest meals or social functions that are held as part of the conference or meeting. It is appropriate for faculty at conferences or meetings to accept reasonable honoraria and reimbursement for reasonable travel, lodging, and meal expenses. The same holds true for pharmacists used as consultants by the pharmaceutical industry.
• Special funds to permit pharmacy students, residents, and fellows to attend selected educational conferences may be permissible as long as the selection of attendees is made by the academic or training institution.
• No gifts should be accepted if there is the potential for "strings to be attached". For example, pharmacists should not accept gifts if they are given in relation to the pharmacist's position on deciding the availability of a drug product for use in the institution. In addition, when companies underwrite conferences or lectures, responsibility for and control over selection of content, faculty and materials should belong to the organizers of the conferences of lectures.

1. Gifts to physicians from industry. JAMA 1991; 265 (Jan 23/30).

Tabled by Board of Directors, 4/14/94

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