Device Industry Groups Nix Direct Sponsorships of Healthcare Professionals

Member medical device companies at four of the top industry trade associations worldwide have made a major change in how they support healthcare professionals’ education and training.

In a Jan. 3 joint statement, AdvaMed, APACMed, Mecomed, and MedTech Europe announced a new revision to their codes of ethics in China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa as well as in the Asia-Pacific region — the removal of direct sponsorships, such as registration fees or expense reimbursements, for healthcare professionals’ attendance at third-party educational events including medical conferences.

The revision was made with the goal of striking a balance between transparent interactions and the need for healthcare professionals to “make independent decisions regarding patient care and treatment,” which could be unintentionally influenced via direct sponsorships, the organizations explained.