Healthcare professionals’ and specialists’ notification of financial support

If a healthcare professional receives payments from a pharmaceutical or medical device company to attend professionally relevant activities abroad, the Danish Medicines Agency must be notified.

Financial support for a professionally relevant activity taking place in Denmark, Greenland or the Faroe Islands should not be notified to us.

The individual healthcare professionals are responsible for notifying the Danish Medicines Agency. 

Here are six important things you need to know about financial support to specialists and healthcare professionals:

1. Healthcare professionals covered by the rules

The rules on financial support apply to the following professions. Some professions have a notification duty in relation to pharmaceutical companies, whereas other professions have a notification duty in relation to both pharmaceutical and medical device companies:

2. Specialists covered by the rules

Certain specialists engaging in the buying and selling of medicinal products and medical devices are covered by the rules and must notify the Danish Medicines Agency if they receive payments to attend professionally relevant activities abroad.

Pharmaceutical companies

In the pharmaceutical area, the following specialists are covered by the rules, see the Danish executive order no. 1153 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medicinal products (in Danish):

• owners of and senior staff of stores authorised to sell OTC medicines or medicinal products for production animals (see section 34)
  
• persons who offer commercial advice on and buy medicinal products outside pharmacies, including persons in the hospital sector (see section 35)
  

Persons who offer commercial advice on medicinal products mean persons who, for business purposes, offer professional advice on medicinal products to municipalities, regions, the state, hospitals and other healthcare institutions.

For example, consultants and other persons offering professional advice on medicinal products as part of their business operations. The provision does not include employees at pharmacies or medical sales representatives employed by a pharmaceutical company. 

Persons who buy medicinal products mean persons who are employed to buy medicinal products. For example, purchasers employed at hospitals, in regions, municipalities or self-governing institutions. 

Medical device companies

In the medical device area, the following specialists are covered by the rules, see the Danish executive order no. 1155 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medical devices (in Danish):

• owners of and senior staff of stores selling medical devices (see section 18)
• medical technicians and other persons who, for business purposes, offer advice on medical devices and buy medical devices (see section 19)
  

Persons who offer commercial advice on medical devices mean persons who, for business purposes, offer professional advice on medical devices to municipalities, regions, the state, hospitals and other healthcare institutions.

For example, medical technicians, medical engineers, consultants and other persons offering professional advice on medical devices as part of their business operations. The provision does not include medical device consultants employed by a medical device company.

Persons who buy medical devices mean persons who are employed to buy medical devices. For example, purchasers employed at hospitals, in regions, municipalities or self-governing institutions. 

3. Notify us about financial support from a company – use this form

Here you can notify us if you receive financial support to attend a professionally relevant activity abroad. You can notify us about several activities in one notification:

4. Search the list of persons who receive financial support

The Danish Medicines Agency does not assess a notification about financial support to attend a professionally relevant activity abroad. We publish the information you submit and use the exact wording of your notification.

List of persons who have notified us that they receive financial support

The following information is published: your name, profession, health professional  registration ID, primary workplace, job title, the name of the company from which you receive financial support, the organiser, information on the activity, expected end date as well as whether you entered into the agreement on financial support before 1 November 2014.

Information about financial support to participate in professionally relevant activities abroad is deleted from the website two years after the activity has ended.

5. Report changes

You need to inform us of any changes to the financial support you receive (for example if the start date or end date is changed or if the professionally relevant activity is cancelled). Report a change:

Report change to collaboration with a company (e-form) (in Danish only)

6. Companies must inform healthcare professionals about the notification duty

Pharmaceutical companies

Pharmaceutical companies must inform specialists and healthcare professionals, orally or in writing, about the notification duty and the subsequent publication of notifications on the Danish Medicines Agency’s website, when they accept to pay for expenses in connection with a professionally relevant activity abroad.

Pharmaceutical companies’ duty to inform is laid down in section 28 of the Danish executive order no. 1153 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medicinal products (in Danish only).

Medical device companies

Medical device companies must inform specialists and healthcare professionals, orally or in writing, about the notification duty and the subsequent publication of notifications on the Danish Medicines Agency’s website, when they accept to pay for expenses in connection with a professionally relevant activity abroad.

Medical device companies’ duty to inform is laid down in section 15 of the Danish executive order no. 1155 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medical devices (in Danish only).

Legislation

Pharmaceutical companies

The Danish Health Act, Part 61 a: Industrial collaboration and the Danish Medicines Act provide the legal framework for financial support from pharmaceutical companies.

The specific rules on financial support are laid down in the Danish executive order no. 1153 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medicinal products (in Danish only).

Medical device companies

The Danish Health Act, Part 61 a: Industrial collaboration and the Danish act on medical devices provide the legal framework for financial support from medical device companies.

The specific rules on financial support are laid down in the Danish executive order no. 1155 of 22 October 2014 on advertising etc. for medical devices (in Danish only).