Price reductions
As companies are aware, the revised Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme requires prices of medicines to be reduced with effect from 1 February 2009 so as to achieve an overall reduction for a company of 3.9%.
It is in the interest of advertisers to indicate the new lower prices on promotional material as soon as possible. In the period 1 February to 30 April 2009, however, promotional material will not be considered to be in breach of the Code if it still carries the previous higher price.
Care should be taken, however, to ensure that there is no discrepancy between what representatives say and what is said on written material left with doctors etc by representatives as this could give rise to complaints.
It will not be acceptable at any time to give comparative prices in promotional material if these involve the new lower prices of the advertiser’s products and the superseded higher prices of competitor products.
Every effort should be made to ensure that journal advertisements are correct at the time of publication.
