To ensure that the ESMO 2014 congress complies with local and national Spanish regulations and The Code of Good Practice of Farmaindustria (Spanish Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies), access to the industry area of the exhibition and to the Satellite Symposia will be restricted.
The following individuals may not access the spaces of the ESMO Congress where promotion of prescription-only or funded medicinal products or medical devices takes place:
- Patients
- Patient advocates
- Students
- Nurses
- Journalists
All delegates will have full access to the Poster Area and the Patient Advocate exhibition and partial access to the Society Village.
Applicable laws and regulations
To the extent the Congress will take place in Madrid, the following regulatory rules will apply:
On a national basis:
- Act 29/2006 on Guarantees and Rational Use of Medicinal Products and Medical Devices: which applies to both medicinal products and medical devices (e.g. diagnosis products).
- Royal Decree 1416/1994 on Advertising of Medicinal Products: which applies to medicinal products.
- Royal Decree 1662/2000 on "in vitro" diagnosis medical devices: which apply to medical devices for an "in vitro" diagnosis.
- Royal Decree 1591/2009 on medical devices: which applies to diagnosis devices other than "in vitro" diagnosis medical devices.
On a regional basis:
Circular 1/2000 of the Autonomous Region of Madrid on Advertising of Medicinal Products: which applies to medicinal products.
Pharmaceutical industry self-regulation:
The Code of Good Practice of Farmaindustria (Spanish Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies) (hereinafter, the Code). The Code incorporates, among others, the principles provided for in: European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Codes on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals; and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) Code of Practices.
Advertising of medicinal products and medical devices: Prohibitions related to medicinal products (as per Royal Decree 1416/1994, Circular 1/2000, and Code).
It is expressly prohibited to advertise: (a) prescription-only medicinal products, (b) medicinal products funded by the Spanish Health National System; and (c) psychotropic substances, to individuals other than to healthcare professionals qualified to prescribe -or supply- medicinal products.