Clause 10 - Provision of Reprints and the Use of Quotations

Clause

10.1 Reprints of articles in journals must not be provided unsolicited unless the articles have been refereed.

  • Clause 10.1 Provision of Reprints

    The provision of an unsolicited reprint of an article about a medicine constitutes promotion of that medicine and all relevant requirements of the Code must therefore be observed. Particular attention must be paid to the requirements of Clause 3.

    When providing an unsolicited reprint of an article about a medicine, it should be accompanied by prescribing information.

10.2 Quotations from medical and scientific literature or from personal communications must be faithfully reproduced (except where adaptation or modification is required in order to comply with the Code) and must accurately reflect the meaning of the author. The precise source of the quotation must be identified.

  • Clause 10.2 Quotations

    Any quotation chosen by a company for use in promotional material must comply with the requirements of the Code itself. For example, to quote from a paper which stated that a certain medicine was ‘safe and effective’ would not be acceptable even if it was an accurate reflection of the meaning of the author of the paper, as it is prohibited under Clause 7.9 to state without qualification in promotional material that a medicine is safe.

    Quotations can only be adapted or modified in order to comply with the Code. In such circumstances it must be clearly stated that the quotation has been amended.

    Care should be taken in quoting from any study or the like to ensure that it does not mislead as to its overall significance. (See Clause 7.2 which prohibits misleading information, claims etc in promotional material.) Attention is drawn to the provisions of Clause 7.6 which requires that when promotional material refers to published studies clear references must be given to where they can be found.

10.3 Quotations relating to medicines taken from public broadcasts, for example on radio and television, and from private occasions, such as medical conferences or symposia, must not be used without the formal permission of the speaker.

10.4 The utmost care must be taken to avoid ascribing claims or views to authors when these no longer represent the current views of the authors concerned.

Interactive 2015 Code
Legislation Related to the Code of Practice