Revised and updated in February 2012 by the BOT of HHFT
Heart and Health Foundation of Turkey (HHFT) aims to support high quality of medical education and research and is preceived essential to prevent any bias from the alternative financial support from the industry. HHFT supports the relevant policy documents for the conflict of interest (1,2) . HHFT understands the necessity of scientific and productive collaboration between the academia and the industry ; however refuses any influence of commercial enterprises on clinical decision making or on messages conveyed by the organisation.When industry is supporting medical educational activities or scientific meetings ,directly or indirectly communication should not lose any objectivity. The links between industry ,health care professionals and organisations need to be ethical and transparent.
The HHFT organizes annual scientific sessions and also distributes the current knowledge via web site by video captures, slides and downloads when applicable. Any industry activity such as satellite Symposia are to be clearly indicated and separated from the scientific programme organized by the independent Scientific Committee.All promotional and educational activities of industry are bound by strict rules (3-6) .Besides the HHFT has created a new mode of web-based education , namely e-cardiology academy which is an educational platform consisting of “Virtual training hospital” , “Meeting rooms” and the “ Library” without industry support.
A policy of disclosure of conflict of interest has been adopted by the Board of Trustees of the HHFT and confers the completion of disclosure of conflict of interest which details each category of relationship by nature and by financial level.(Appendix 1).
The same principles also applies in the research grants provided by the HHFT and any unrestricted reasearch grant received from the industry resources.The HHFT looks for the same principles of conflict of interest in case of endorsing other educational or research activities.
References
- 1.The ESC Board.Relationship betweenprofessional medical associations and the health-care industry,concerning scientific communication and continuing medical education:a Policy Statement from the European Society of Cardiology
- 2.Camilleri M,Parke DW.Perspective:Conflict of interest and professionl organisations:considerationa and recommendations..Academic Medicine 2010;85:86-91
- 3.EFPIA.EFPIA code on the promotion of prescription-only medicines to and intereactions with health care professionals, 2007.
- 4.FPMA.IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2006 Revision.Appendix 1.2006.
- 5.ABPI.Code of practice fort he pharmaceutical industry,2006.
- 6.Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.Recommendation for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public officials in International Business Transactions.Paris,France:OECD;2009