NH71-28-HSR:mc

6700

Serial

From: Commanding Officer, U. S. Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, Calif. 92055 TO: Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (Code 3113)

SUBJ: Command professional relationship with representatives of pharmaceutical manufacturers; suggested format for

Encl: (1) Photographs of staff attendance at medical exhibits (in duplicate)

1. Background. Detailmen can be of great assistance to the professional staff of any medical activity, but on the other hand they can also be a source of bother if they are not provided with a set of "ground rule" by which to operate. With very few exceptions, "ground fules" are welcomed by the detailmen, as well as by the staff in that product information is passed on smoothly, and at such times as are convenient to all concerned. This hospital has such a set of rules, which have been proved over a period of time, and are submitted as a possible aid to other activities who might find their present system unsatisfactory.

2. Method.

a. All detailmen are required to check-in at the Pharmacy before visiting any other area of the hospital.

b. Explicit instructions are personally outlined by the Chief of Pharmacy Service:

(1) The Pharmacy must be made aware of the items that are to be detailed that day to the staff. In the case of new products, complete literature must be on file in the Pharmacy before any detailing is done. This is to provide a ready reference for the staff should questions arise.

(b) Only a very small quantity of samples are left with the physician. Sampling in quantity is done only with the Pharmacy. This allows the Pharmacy to establish usage rates should the item be requested for stock, and permits a replenishment of the samples should the physician wish to extend his clinical evaluation of an item.

(3) Each detailman is briefed as to the best hours to visit each service, and that he must detail the Chief of Service prior to detailing the individual physicians of that service.

(4) Normally, appointments are not made; however, the Pharmacy does phone an individual physician should the time of the visit be during the busiest hours of his day.

(Published in U. S. Navy Medical News Letter 30 April 1965

Vol. 45, No. 8)

(5) Detailmen are informed as to which days of the week other detailmen are usually on board, to help space out their visits to the hospital.

(6) The Pharmacy maintains a company card file of inquiries and when the detailmen checks in, he is informed of these inquiries and directed to the individual concerned.

3. Hospital Exhibits.

a. Through trial and error, this hospital has developed a method of permiting the various pharmaceutical companies to display the latest trends in therapeutics to the staff of this hospital.

b. To provide a relaxing atmosphere and traffic free space, the lounge of the BOQ was made available for these exhibits.

C. The exhibits are held on the third Tuesday of each month, a day determined to be most advantageous to all. The hours extend from 1100 to 1400, to give sufficient time for all personnel to attend prior to, during, and after lunch.

d. The exhibits are given wide publicity through individual notices to the staff and notices published in the Hospital Daily Bulletin. A form letter is mailed to each of the representatives who normally call on this hospital and others which the command feels could benefit our staff. Because of the numerous medical activities within the Camp Pendleton complex, each is notified monthly of the pending exhibits.

e. Although this arrangement was made primarily for the medical and dental officers, and the pharmaceutical representatives we found that companies with allied products, other than pharmaceuticals, were requesting permission to exhibit their products. In addition, the Nurse Corps officers showed great enthusiasm for the opportunity to procure drug literature and ask questions concerning the problems they experience in their field. Through the visits of the Nursing Educational Coordinator, arrangements were made for non-commercial lectures to be presented to staff personnel by some of the pharmaceutical representatives.

f. The attendance by both the companies and staff has been gratifying. For instance, in November, 28 companies exhibited their products to over 150 officers of the Medical Department.

g. These exhibits have been enthusiastically received by all hands, and letters have been received from all of the companies expressing their gratitude as they felt that our method provided the best format they had experienced for detailing pharmaceuticals.

2

4.

h. Photographs taken at one of the exhibits are included as enclosure (1).

Conclusions.

a.

The responsibility for coordinating the relationship of the detailmen with the staff must lay with the Pharmacy.

b. Established ground rules provide a harmonious and beneficial atmosphere for detailing.

c. The exhibit method of detailing takes less of the medical officer's time; he can see 20 to 30 representatives in one or two hours.

d. The set date allows the staff to plan for the meeting.

e. By having groups of medical officers inquiring about items, they seem to stimulate questions they individually may not think of, and hear comments they might not otherwise hear.

f. The procedure allows the medical and dental officers to be

selective and see early the representatives who have items in their particular fields of interest.

THOMAS J. CANTY

Lack Of Authority

Limits Consumer Protection:

Problems In Identifying And Removing
From The Market Products

Which Violate The Law

Food and Drug Administration

Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare

B-164031(2)

BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

OF THE UNITED STATES

This is our report entitled "Lack of Authority Limits Consumer Protection: Problems in Identifying and Removing from the Market Products which Violate the Law." The Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, is responsible for protecting the consumer from violative products.

Our review was made pursuant to the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (31 U.S.C. 53), and the Accounting and Auditing Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 67).

Copies of this report are being sent to the Director, Office of Management and Budget, and to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Bitkillen

Acting Comptroller General
of the United States