Engaging ethically and transparently to improve patient care
Our Code of Conduct shows that integrity is part of our DNA. Its ethical principles govern how we interact with healthcare professionals in Australia and New Zealand:
“We provide accurate, fair and balanced information about our products, and do not engage in activities that inappropriately benefit or influence our customers or stakeholders. We strictly follow applicable transparency and disclosure standards required by law, regulations and codes of practice.” [Boehringer Ingelheim Code of Conduct; Ethical Principle 4]
We engage with healthcare professionals to ensure the safe, effective, and appropriate use of our medicines. This dialogue is essential to supporting the quality use of medicines, advancing patient care, and for pharmacovigilance.
These interactions are highly professional and adhere strictly to our own Code of Conduct as well as the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct and Medicines New Zealand Code of Practice and relevant national legislation.
Transfers of Value
We value the independent advice, expertise, and time of healthcare professionals that are experts in treating diseases and who understand the healthcare needs of patients.
This means that we pay reasonable fees for services such as the provision of independent expert advice or the delivery of appropriate education for relevant audiences. We cover reasonable travel, accommodation, and registration costs incurred in providing the above, in accordance with relevant national guidelines, codes, and legislation.
Australia
Boehringer Ingelheim openly and transparently reports transfers of value to healthcare professionals in accordance with the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
These reports are available for anyone to view and download on a website administered by Medicines Australia which also includes useful guidance on healthcare professional privacy and how to interpret the reports and data.
This website also allows anyone to download our transparency reports of third-party educational meeting sponsorship and support for Health Consumer Organisations.
To comply with our privacy obligations, the reports may be amended from time to time. Any use or disclosure of the data by a third party is the responsibility of that third party, who must comply with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
New Zealand
Boehringer Ingelheim openly and transparently reports transfers of value to healthcare professionals in accordance with the Medicines New Zealand Code of Practice, its voluntary Transparency Guidelines, and the Privacy Act 2020 (NZ).
We voluntarily publish our New Zealand transfer of value reports due to our commitment to transparency and openness. The report identifies healthcare professionals by name where their consent has been provided. Where consent has not been provided the information is reported in aggregate. These reports may be downloaded from the link below:
To comply with our privacy obligations, the reports may be amended from time to time. The reports here contains the most up to date information. Any use or disclosure of the data by a third party is the responsibility of that third party, who must comply with Privacy Act 2020 (NZ).