White Guide and Orange Guide Formatting Project - Pfizer

Educational Items
Orange Guide – Chapter 17: State Laws: HCP and State Employee Restrictions
Compensation at fair market value in connection with a genuine research project;
Certain publications and educational materials, including most (but not all) RC-approved
educational materials (e.g., Pfizer-created branded and unbranded promotional materials,
reprints, literature, and other printed materials); and
Salaries or other benefits paid to employees.
Educational reference items which provide general medical or drug information are not considered to
be “publications and educational materials” and may not be provided. Examples of prohibited items
include textbooks, journal subscriptions, online subscription services (such as trial memberships for
Epocrates) and anatomical models. If you are unsure about whether an RC-approved item can be
provided to a Minnesota practitioner, check with your manager or Regional Attorney.
Meals
As of May 31, 2010, Pfizer prohibits all colleagues from providing meals to Minnesota practitioners,
subject to a very limited exception for meals provided as a reasonable expense to practitioners who
serve on the faculty at a Pfizer professional or educational conference or meeting who are receiving
compensation for services pursuant to a contract with Pfizer.
A modest meal is not considered a “gift” under the law if provided as a reasonable expense to a
practitioner serving on the faculty at a professional educational conference or meeting. Where a
Minnesota practitioner is serving as a speaker at a Pfizer promotional program, for example, his or her
meal does not constitute a gift and may be provided. All meals must, however, comply with all Pfizer
policies on providing meals to HCPs, including the policy that meals should be modest and not exceed
$135 in value.
Companies are required to submit annual reports to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy of non-gift
payments to practitioners, such as consulting fees, speaking honoraria, and related expenses, if the
payments total $100 or more per year per practitioner.
273
Rev. 09/12
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