Compliance to Ethical Marketing Code of Practice by Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry Members in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

This study established the physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists’ perspective on ethical marketing code compliance by the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI) members in Mombasa County. The study focused on ethical code compliance in regard to the healthcare providers (HCPs) interactions with pharmaceutical firms in regard to events and meetings, entertainment, sponsorships, and prohibition of cash and personal gifts. The study was intended to establish the IFPMA Code compliance level by KAPI members and recommend industry regulation strategies to ensure adoption of ethical marketing practices. The study was conducted through cross-sectional survey and data was collected using questionnaire and interview technique from 20 physicians and 20 pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists who were randomly selected from Kenya Medical Association (KMA) and Kenya Pharmacists Association (KPA) records. The study focused on HCPs working in private health institutions and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis, and presented in tables and figures. The study established that the trend of pharmaceutical marketing in Mombasa County was unethical as pharmaceutical companies complied with some provisions of the ethical marketing code while ignoring other provisions. The findings of the study showed that medical representatives, and physicians and pharmacists (HCPs) carried the highest responsibility for propagation of unethical practices in the industry. The study concludes that KAPI members do not fully comply with the provisions of IFPMA ethical marketing code of practice especially, in cash and personal gifts to HCPs, and sponsorships. The study recommends that the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) make it mandatory for all pharmaceutical firms to adopt the ethical marketing code of practice in order to avoid unfair competition amongst the industry members, and ensure that self-regulation provisions are properly enforced and monitored. Finally, the researcher recommends further research in this area in order to establish the underlying factors prompting unethical practices and how to overcome them.