Pharmaceutical Conferences ABPI Compliance

Before beginning any arrangements, therefore, you will need to understand all the factors that could lead to a breach of the code. Alternatively, you can take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of a venue finding agency that specialises in pharmaceutical conferences. While you still have the ultimate responsibility to make sure your event complies with the code, the help of an experienced agency will enable you to carry out the task much more easily and efficiently.

When you hand over the planning of your pharmaceutical conferences to a venue finding agency certified by an industry consultant, you also hand over any worries about breaching clause 19 of the ABPI code of practice. Under this clause, companies are allowed to provide appropriate hospitality to members of the health professions in association with events, as long as that hospitality is secondary to the main educational purpose of the occasion. This results in a complexity of issues for organisers of pharmaceutical conferences, requiring them to make decisions about whether such issues as choice of venue, equipment, and activities comply with the code and whether the cost and quality of the hospitality is out of proportion to the level of the event. Breach of the code can lead to heavy sanctions. By using a venue finding agency to take care of the planning of your pharmaceutical conferences, you ensure that the event will comply with the code. Funded by hotels and conference venues, such agencies can provide a quality but free service, helping you to obtain the best possible rates for the cost of your pharmaceutical conferences, while also providing you with invaluable advice and support on other aspects of event organisation.

Locating and booking a suitable venue is one of the most important services a venue finding agency can provide for organisers of pharmaceutical conferences. Equipped with knowledge of the ABPI code of practice, the agency can advise you on the selection of a venue that is appropriate to the purpose of the event and is in a suitable location. It can also set up site visits for you, and arrange meetings with staff at the venue. Some agencies will send a representative to such meetings, if required, and will save you time by working with the venue staff on pre-event issues to ensure the smooth running of the conference.

As well as helping to locate venues for pharmaceutical conferences, venue finders are also able to give professional advice on whether the planned event achieves the correct balance between educational content and hospitality as required by the ABPI code of practice. This is a complex area, requiring expert knowledge. It can involve such issues as the timing, costs, and quality of the hospitality provided at pharmaceutical conferences, the advertising emphasis, the activities offered, and the materials used, as well as the venue itself. A venue finding agency that understands the conditions of the code of practice in relation to pharmaceutical conferences can assess whether everything related to the event is in line with the code, thereby saving you time and worry.

Finding suitable and available accommodations when attendees at pharmaceutical conferences need to spend one or more nights in the area is also a major undertaking, especially if you are not experienced at negotiating rates and comparing packages. With its specialist knowledge of hotels, rates, and booking procedures, combined with awareness of your event and your needs, a venue finding agency can save you time and trouble by sourcing a selection of suitable accommodation from which you can choose. An agency can also negotiate the best possible rates for accommodation required by attendees at pharmaceutical conferences and take care of booking enquiries on your behalf.

Other areas in which pharmaceutical conferences must comply with the ABPI code of practice include the choice of materials used before and during the event. Everything from letters of confirmation to equipment used by speakers needs to comply with the code, and must not give the wrong impression regarding the content of the meeting. Leisure activities offered to attendees at pharmaceutical conferences are also affected by the code. They need to relate to the main educational purpose of the event rather than to entertainment only.

In addition to the numerous tasks always associated with such events, therefore, the organisation of pharmaceutical conferences requires special care and knowledge. Like other pharmaceutical companies, you may decide to seek help to ensure compliance with clause 19 of the ABPI code of practice. By using the free services offered by a venue finding agency that specialises in pharmaceutical conferences, you will ensure that your arrangements are acceptable under the code and that you have more time to focus on running a successful event.