DOJ

My First Glance at the Agenda for the 17th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , ,
The 17th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress is scheduled for April 29 – May 1, 2020 in Washington D.C.

When scanning an agenda for an upcoming compliance conference, I begin by identifying the presentations that feature new topics, or ones that offer a compelling twist on a long-standing topic. This isn’t to suggest you should ever focus exclusively on the “new and shiny” sessions over those that have a more familiar ring. For those of us steeped in many years of conference attendance, sessions like DOJ and SEC Insights and Third-Party Risk Assessment and Oversight are always worthwhile for the updates offered by industry leaders and government regulators.

My initial review of the agenda for CBI’s 17th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, scheduled for April 29 – May 1 in Washington D.C., reveals an intriguing mix of new and bold content, along with tried, true, and recognizable presentations. The conference is consistently one of the “can’t-miss” opportunities for life sciences compliance professionals to interact with their peers and hear best practices and suggestions for reducing risk across their companies. From a training development perspective, the presentations help keep us aware of important content trends, as we strive to provide training products you need to continually evolve your curriculum and address compliance risk.

With that in my mind, here are my thoughts on some of the sessions planned for this year’s conference.

Day One – Wednesday, April 29, 2020

CBI has scheduled three concurrent “summits” to open the conference. Summit 1, Bio/Pharma Compliance Boot Camp appears to be an ideal opportunity for those attendees new to compliance to gain a foothold on the topics that form the foundation of the industry. Perri Pomper of Clinical Genomics and Ed Sleeper of Esperion will be joined by Mahnu Davar and Daniel Kracov of Arnold & Porter to cover the essentials. If you are new to the industry, you don’t want to miss this one.

After a networking and refreshment break in the Exhibit Hall (shameless plug – don’t forget to stop by the PharmaCertify booth), three more concurrent summits are planned for the afternoon. Summit IV, Primer Course on Compliant Patient Interactions, from Clinical to Commercial, offers an update on an obviously hot topic, from Rahul Khara of Acceleron Pharma and Seth Lundy of King & Spalding. In Summit V, Compliance and Legal Watch-Outs for Partnering and Deal-Making, Erik Eglite of Aurina Pharmaceuticals will address the compliance challenges inherent in product partnerships. Summit VI, Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion, stands out as something new and compelling for this conference. Kudos to CBI, as well as presenters, Sujata Dayal of Johnson & Johnson, Jim Massey of AstraZeneca, and Maggie Feltz, of Purdue Pharma, for taking on such an important and timely topic.

Day One closes with the PCC Kick-Off Party and Welcome Cocktail Reception. This is one of the best opportunities you’ll have to interact with your peers while visiting the vendors who provide an array of the services you need to build a stronger culture of compliance. While there, visit the PharmaCertify booth to see demos of our newest compliance training products, all designed to help you enhance the retention of key policies and regulations in the field and across the company.

Day Two – Thursday, April 30, 2020

Following a networking breakfast, and the chairperson’s opening remarks, Day Two begins with a Regulatory and Enforcement Showcase, featuring presentations from representatives of PhRMA and  government entities, including the OIG, various U.S. Attorney offices, the DOJ, and the SEC. The Enforcement Docket Deep-Dive is the annual review of recent corporate integrity agreements and settlements. The panel features an impressive array of representatives from U.S. attorney offices around the country. Consistently, from year to year, these enforcement updates offer critical insight into the latest government oversight trends.

The session titled, Chasing Miracles – When Drug Research is Personal jumped off the screen for me. As a company dedicated to the development of compliance training that reduces risk on a sustained basis, we strive to make that training relevant, personal, and meaningful. I look forward to hearing John Crowley and Patrik Florencio, both of Amicus Therapeutics, discuss how they introduce and communicate the “criticality of compliance in advancing lifesaving therapies,” as it is described in the agenda.

Following the networking lunch, attendees choose from six concurrent workshops. While that may seem like a daunting decision, I recommend partnering with colleagues and associates to divide and conquer. Sharing notes over dinner or coffee is a powerful way to get the most out of the conference and bring more actionable knowledge back to your job.

While all the workshops look to be worthwhile on the surface, three stood out for applicability and relevancy to risk areas. First, Calling All Emerging Biotechs – Pre-Commercial Considerations and Checklist appears to be an ideal opportunity for anyone working with a smaller company, with one product commercialized or soon to be commercialized. I am anxious to hear if Eric Baim of Dovetail Consulting, Tiago Garrido of Verastem, and Rupa Cornell of Stealth BioTherapeutics touch on training as they cover the unique risk and resourcing challenges faced by companies in this tier.

On the hot topic front, the Enforcement Snapshot and Best Practices Related to PAPs, Coupons, Copays and Foundations addresses the risk that seems to be on everyone’s mind, including the collective ones at the OIG. Stephanie Doebler of Covington and Burling LLP, and Katherine Chaurette from Blueprint Medicines Corporation will present.

On the persistently relevant front, Third-Party Risk Assessment and Oversight, with Dennis Barnes of Mayne Pharma, Tali Guy, of Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Michael Clarke of ConvaTec, will surely be relevant for anyone whose company conducts business globally through third-party vendors. That’s a wide swath.

The concurrent workshops continue throughout the afternoon, with six from 2:55 pm to 3:55 pm and six more from 4:25 pm to 5:30 pm. Workshop G has a compelling title in line with the earlier one focused on emerging biotechs, “Product Approved, Now What? Building Out the Compliance Infrastructure with Limited Resources.”  It’s a topic near and dear to the hearts and budgets of many of our clients and I will be listening closely for how Jeffrey Levitt of Stemline Therapeutics, John Knighton, of TherapeuticsMD, and Jim Flaherty of Rhythm Therapeutics handle development and deployment of training on those limited resources.

Back on the hot topic front, Workshop K, Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Oversight and Risk Assessment, features Sarah Whipple of Akebia Therapeutics, and Meenakshi Datta of Sidley Austin; and I am interested in hearing their expert analysis on assessing the risks associated with hubs, and of course, how that risk is addressed in training.

Finally, you do not want to miss Workshop P, State-of-the-Art Compliance Training, with Erica Powers of SAGE Therapeutics, and my colleague from PharmaCertify, Dan O’Connor. In this case, “state-of-the-art training” may not mean what you assume it means in terms of design and budget. Erica and Dan will present different methods for addressing risk and deploying more effective training, no matter your learning objectives and business goals.

Day Three – Friday, May 1, 2020

If the multitudes of workshop choices on Day Two aren’t enough to satiate your hunger for compelling compliance content, CBI has scheduled five full sessions followed by your choice of five tailored content tracks, with two presentations per track:

  • Track 1: Speaker Programs – Current Enforcement Trends, Best Practices Benchmarks, and Future Fate
  • Track 2: Commercial and Government Pricing Transparency and Reporting
  • Track 3: Taking Monitoring, Auditing, and Investigations to the Next Level
  • Track 4: Zero-in on Compliant Patient Interactions
  • Track 5: Clinical Trial Legal and Contracting Considerations and Risk Management Strategies

Among the presentations that precede the track sessions, Lessons Learned from the Field. Anti-Kickback Accusations and the Aftermath – An Inside Look at Sales and Marketing Practices Under Fire should be interesting to say the least. If the title alone wasn’t intriguing enough, the presenter is Jonathan Roper, former district sales manager for Insys Therapeutics. Roper was charged with violating the Anti-Kickback Statute in connection with his participation in the company’s scheme to encourage HCPs to prescribe its fentanyl-based sublingual spray. I am encouraged to see that along with sharing his story from the Insys trenches, Roper is expected to cover the importance of an effective compliance training program in his comments. Buckle your seat belts, it’s going to be an interesting 30-minute session.

An Opportunity to Attend

The sessions I cover above represent only a fraction of the veritable plethora of important content covered in the three-day conference. Whether you work as an n of 1, or by contrast, you have access to a wealth of resources and personnel, the conference offers countless opportunities to bring back the information you need to build, maintain, and grow a better program and culture of compliance.

As a conference sponsor, we are offering a significant discount on the registration fee. Contact me at smurphy@nxlevelsolutions.com if you are interested in this opportunity, and we will see you in Washington!

Be a compliance training hero, with a little help from PharmaCertify…and a discount on the conference registration!

Sean Murphy
Marketing Manager
PharmaCertify by NXLevel Solutions

Lessons Learned at the 2018 Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Congress

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , ,

Lesson 3: Learning to Listen

“There is only one rule for being a good talker – learn to listen.”
Christopher Morley

The importance of effective communication and more specifically, listening, wasn’t lost on the speakers at the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress. The consequences of poor listening were summarized by one panelist on the Qui Tam Roundtable when she said, “the vast majority of whistleblowers who contact me have tried to report their concerns to the company, but the company didn’t want to hear it.” In an era when the nuances of an effective compliance program are discussed and debated in detail, the simple yet often lost art of effective listening needs to be a priority.

The value of listening extends across all departments and business units and it starts with field-based employees. A presenter in the Compliance Considerations for Small to Mid-Size Companies session echoed that sentiment, saying, “the stream of questions from the field is not going to stop, but those questions tell a story and you need to monitor them carefully and build your plan from there.” The data from those responsible for interacting with healthcare professionals is critical as you evolve your program and look for gaps and redundancies that need to be addressed in personal interactions and in your continuous training curriculum. And listening for that data begins with open, non-judgmental relationships across the company. Or, as another presenter in the Compliance Considerations for Small to Mid-Size Companies session stated it, “when employees interact with the compliance department, they should not feel like they are being judged.”

The need for open lines of communication doesn’t stop with the field. The industry trend toward “building a culture of ethics and compliance,” and frankly, the regulatory focus on the culpability of those in the C-Suite and boards of directors, more than ever, dictates the need for open and regular communication with company leadership. The proverbial “seat at the table” for Compliance extends upward in the organization. As was stated during the AUSA Roundtable, “Compliance should have a good relationship with the Chief Executive Officer, and the officers of the company. The two departments need to communicate openly and honestly.” He continued, “when issues do arise, the Department of Justice needs to see that you are being proactive and responding to those issues.” In other words, listening to one and another.

During the Chief Compliance Officer Roundtable, the risks associated with the use of third-party vendors was discussed in detail and the need for open lines of communication beyond the walls of the company was stressed. “Work with the stakeholders in the third party and make them feel like you are partnering with them,” one participant said, “be transparent, if you hear that people aren’t disclosing information, that’s a warning sign. If there is any confusion, ask questions.” And listen carefully to the answers.

The key takeaway: to build a truly effective and modern compliance program that proactively addresses the risks across the organization, a policy of open communication must be established from the top down. The concept of an ethics-based approach to compliance may seem nebulous and difficult to quantify, but it begins with fostering a level of respect across the company. And respect begins with real listening. When employee questions, feedback, concern, and complaints are welcomed, appreciated and nurtured in a respectful manner by Compliance and the C-Suite, all aspects of the compliance program, including the training, are enhanced.

Thanks for reading! I welcome your feedback.

Sean D. Murphy
PharmaCertify by NXLevel Solutions

Lessons Learned at the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lesson 2: The More Things Change…

Tessa Hoyer of PharmaCertify greets attendees at the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress.

The French journalist and novelist, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, is credited with coining the phrase, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” For anyone who has attended multiple compliance conferences in the last five years, his words certainly ring true. Terms like “partnering with the business,” “tone from the top,” and “third-party risks” are still staples during conference presentations and this year’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress was no exception. For good reason.

As an example, the Compliance 3.0 presentation on Day 2 of the conference began with one panelist expressing his concern that “we still have to fight for a seat at the table.” In other words, while the concept has been bandied about for years now, the reality is that raising compliance to the organizational level of respect it requires to affect true behavior change is still a struggle. He and his co-presenters emphasized the need to not only find that seat alongside the businesses but truly understand their business policies as well as what they do and who they are. As another presenter put it, “bring value to the business as a compliance representative, educate them every step of the way, and help them educate their people.” She added, “when they get to the point where they are doing it themselves, that’s nirvana.”

Not surprisingly, the need to train and manage third-party vendors continues to be stressed. In the session covering the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, one government representative even delved into the need to extend the corporation’s culture to the vendors. She added “you really need to know your third-party vendors and they need to understand you. You need to know who it is that is making payments on your behalf.” The presenters in the Third-Party Lifecycle Management session agreed, citing the need to “have vendors take the same training that is rolled out for your employees. Treat them as partners and make sure they understand the risks involved.  They are more likely to care about being compliant if they feel like a partner and if they will be held responsible.”

As with the conversation and debate over an “ethics-based approach to compliance,” concepts like “tone from the top,” “partnering with the business,” and “third-party risks” warrant our focus and consideration simply because they are that relevant and critical. Industry conferences offer the valuable opportunity to hear our peers share their latest insights and success stories around the themes that seem to drive the conversation. While the world of life sciences compliance is evolving, in some cases, the more things change, the more they stay the same…at least at the compliance conferences.

Thanks for reading!

Sean Murphy
Editor
Compliance Training Intelligence Blog

Lessons Learned at the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lesson 1: Rules and principles can coexist.

Welcome to the first in a multi-part series based on lessons learned from the recent Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress in Washington D.C. Our goal in this series is to share best practices and tips for strengthening your compliance culture and reducing risk based on the themes and best practices heard during the three-day conference and provide suggestions on implementing those concepts from a training perspective. We begin this week with a twist on a topic that has been on the agenda for a few years now…rules vs. principles.

During the Compliance Considerations for Small to Mid-Size Pharma and Device Companies panel presentation, a team of industry compliance officers and consultants discussed the challenges and opportunities brought on by limited resources and personnel. The suggestions were varied and intriguing, but one stood apart for me, especially from a training perspective. When he was offering the details of how he approached his transition to a small company compliance department, one chief compliance officer said, “it’s important to start with foundation training, and then have a conversation about culture.” In the milieu of conversation about the importance of principles, and the need for “an ethical approach to decision making,” it was refreshing to hear acknowledgement that rules-based and principles-focused approaches can co-exist and work in conjunction.

Foundational training lays the groundwork for the rules and policies that are critical for all life sciences employees to understand and incorporate into their daily activities. Although the “check the box” approach to training has been much maligned in recent years, being able to document that your staff, especially those who interact with healthcare professionals on a regular basis, have successfully completed training in topics such as HIPAA, on-label promotion, the False Claims Act, and the Anti-Kickback Statute, is a critical first step. Once that foundation is established, on-going opportunities and touchpoints can be utilized to establish the “why” behind the decisions as you strive to strengthen the culture across the organization.  As was emphasized during the presentation, you need to “have a plan that builds across all work streams” to do that throughout the year. As one example, workshops with interactive activities that immerse employees in ethical scenarios are an effective method for reinforcing the principles. In addition, assessments, microlearning, and games deployed across an employee’s timeline remind learners that compliance isn’t just about rules and regulations, it’s about “doing the right thing, for the right reason.”

During the Chief Compliance Officer Roundtable at the conference, one participant made the point that “a principle-based philosophy helps ensure compliance throughout the company and not just at the surface level.” That’s certainly true, but from our perspective, a principle philosophy is more effective when its built on a solid foundation of policy and rules-based training.

Thanks for reading!

Sean D. Murphy
Editor
Compliance Training Intelligence Blog

Key Takeaways from the 2018 Compliance Congress West

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , ,
Early morning over San Francisco, the site of the 2018 Compliance Congress West.

To say the audience at the 19th Life Sciences Compliance Congress West was energized and engaged is an understatement. The size and scope of the two-day conference led to unusually interactive discussions, with the audience eagerly sharing their experiences along with the presenters and panelists.  For someone relatively new to the field of life sciences compliance training, I found the exchange of ideas and advice quite educational and enlightening.

PharmaCertify was there as a conference sponsor and we found an agenda filled with information designed to help attendees strengthen their compliance cultures and reduce risk, which of course is a mission close to our hearts from a compliance training standpoint.  Here are my takeaways, with a focus on training of course (it’s what we do):

1. Build an ethical culture, not just a compliant one.

This was a recurring theme, and it’s a compelling one. On the surface, the line between ethics and compliance may appear inconsequential and not significant enough to be worthy of consideration. But more companies are evolving away from a rules-based approach to compliance to one that stresses ethical decision making as the foundation for their principle-based policies. It begins with a question: are people doing the right thing when no one is looking?

For us, the answer begins with a new approach to training. Modern life sciences companies need to teach the value of ethical decision making, and not just recite the rules and regulations. Training needs to instill in learners the understanding that the company trusts and expects them to do just that.

2. Hubs are in, so get that training out!

Patient support hubs are trending, and since they serve as the “connection point” for so many stakeholders (patients, providers, and physicians), they come with a high level of risk. With the influence of commercialized companies, and the lack of guidance from the Office of Inspector General and Department of Justice, patient support hubs are a hot bed of kickback and false claims risks.

Job aids, clear business rules and program guidance, and a robust training curriculum are necessary to mitigate that risk. All parties involved, including vendors, must be continuously trained on how to interact with patients and understand what they can or cannot say and do.

3. If you think PSPs and PAPs are in the regulatory spotlight, you’re right.

The scrutiny on Patient Support Programs (PSPs) and Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) is intensifying, with a growing number of settlements (Jazz Pharmaceuticals, United Therapeutics) raising questions over the idea of companies donating to independent charities. In addition to causing potential false claims and HIPAA violations, the donations raise concerns that they may be intended to induce patients to purchase certain products and implicate the Anti-Kickback Statute.

As was highlighted during the conference, PSPs and PAPs can be beneficial to patients, but commercial organizations cannot have any influence on the support being provided. Training needs to emphasize that sales representatives are not permitted to discuss specific PAPs or disease state funds with patients or healthcare professionals. And as prescription costs climb, the scrutiny and risks will continue to grow.

4. Nurse Educators: Are they here to stay?

The jury is still out. As defined during the presentation on nurse educators, “white coat marketing” refers to the use of healthcare professionals in marketing or sales activity, and therein lies the risk with the use of nurse educators. According to the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the practice is scrutinized under the Anti-Kickback Statute because patients rely on the advice of physicians, they may “have difficulty distinguishing between medical advice and a commercial sales pitch.”

Recently unsealed qui tam cases highlight the risks and cause for concern, with one company deploying “nurse ambassadors” directly to patients’ homes and another implementing nurse-led adherence programs designed to increase product refills. Patients tend to trust the opinion and advice of their physician, and by extension, their nurse educator. However, it can be confusing for a patient to decipher advice from marketing, and exposure points emerge when nurse educators are trained similarly to sales representatives and conducting calls with those representatives. Asking yourself key questions about the training:

  • What materials do the nurse educators use (disease state, promotional, fair, balanced, etc.)?
  • Does the training focus on adherence and education instead of sales and marketing?
  • Does the training resemble sales training (e.g., overcoming objections, cold calling)?

5. Speaker Programs: How is this still happening?

The idea that speaker programs bring high levels of risk is not a secret, so much so that one audience member even asked, “how is this (insert expletive) still happening?” Good question. Selling in the life sciences industry is a relationship-based activity, and back in the “good old days,” there was little monitoring around meals, vacations, golf outings, etc. Now, the risks are rampant and include speaker selection (make sure they are credible), payments, receipts, the amount of money spent, spouses or guests in attendance, and analytics. The panelists also used Insys as a case study for the importance of communication, particularly email. Multiple documented emails within the company revealed how they were trying to utilize speakers. Training needs to emphasize the need for open, honest and communication, with no hidden agendas because as was quoted about the Insys case, “it takes a very long time to turn your ship around.”

6. Calibrate Your Compliance Training for Greater Impact

There’s plenty of guidance available from the DOJ and OIG to assist ethics and compliance professionals with determining their training priorities. The OIG guidance alone offers 49 distinct metrics for communication, education, and training. It can be a bit overwhelming, so what’s a compliance officer to do?

A presentation by Dan O’Connor of NXLevel and Jeremy Lutsky of Theravance offered attendees a practical framework for designing, developing, and implementing compliance training, beginning with the questions, “Is there a training need?” In other words, is there actually a knowledge and/or skill deficit or is there a problem with incentives, motivation, unclear expectations, etc.?

Assuming there is a training need, ethics and compliance officers can use the long-established ADDIE (Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation) process to efficiently attack the problem, beginning with analyzing risk by role in the organization. Several pragmatic approaches were shared by Dan and Jeremy, including use of the “3F” Curriculum Framework, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and a structured process for evaluating existing training.

7. The food choices in San Francisco are, well, pretty good.

The restaurant choices are clearly bountiful in the City by the Bay and we leave you today with a brief note on two that we enjoyed during our stay:

We couldn’t resist the chowder at the Hog Island Oyster Co. and we weren’t disappointed!

The Hog Island Oyster Company is nestled in the Ferry Building Marketplace, where you can watch the ferries come and go as you enjoy freshly-shucked oysters on the half shell. Choose oysters from various locations or order a dozen or two to try them all! They all come with a fresh vinaigrette or cocktail sauce if you so desire. While their main stake is oysters, the rest of the menu is not neglected. The chowder comes stacked with clams in a nice cream base with veggies, potatoes, bacon and cheese! And the fish sliders are perfectly crispy paired with a tangy coleslaw that compliments the fish nicely. From the bar, the Chardonnay from Napa was crisp and light, and the Wolfback Ridge IPA was a perfect pairing for the fish sliders.

The Douglas Room is a quaint restaurant located adjacent to the Tilden Hotel that offers a boutique gastropub vibe to transport diners to another time (think speakeasy era). The talented mixologists curate creative spins on classic martinis behind the bar to help authenticate the experience. For dinner or late-night snacks, the innovative menu features locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. We enjoyed the shishito peppers, duck confit wings, wedge salad, and Tilden burger. The portions were perfect for sharing, and the presentation was stunning. We’ll be back when the conference returns to San Francisco!

Tessa Hoyer, PharmaCertify by NXLevel Solutions

A Look Ahead: The 2018 Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress!

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Look for the “elephant in the Exhibit Hall” at the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress to see demos of our compliance training solutions!

If you haven’t yet registered for the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress, there is still time to save $600 on the registration fee with our sponsor discount offer. Contact me at smurphy@nxlevelsolutions.com to ask about the details.

The conference kicks off Wednesday, November 7th at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington DC, and NXLevel’s PharmaCertify team will be there to catch up with friends and clients and showcase our newest compliance training products. If you’re attending, stop by Booth 108 in the Exhibit Hall (you can’t miss us, we’re right next to the food table and by the bar) to say hello and register for a chance to win an Echo Smart Speaker with Alexa!

You will also see us listening attentively throughout the panel sessions and presentations for the latest compliance best practices and suggestions from what is always an impressive list of industry professionals and government representatives. In addition to the keynotes and plenary sessions, PCF has packed the agenda with 27 different mini summits attendees can choose to attend. With that in my mind, we’ve once again scoured the agenda and highlighted a few of the presentations we’re looking forward to in particular.

Day 1: Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Preconference 1: Patient Support Programs: Risk and Risk Management Best Practices

Right out of the gate, PCF is offering attendees the choice of four compelling preconference sessions from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. This Patient Support Programs session is offered as a “deep dive workshop” with timely talking points that include the most common manifestations or structures of Patient Support Programs (PAPs) and the best practices and approvals of the activities. A quick scan of recent corporate integrity agreements highlights the enforcement focus on PAPs, and kudos to PCF for wasting no time addressing it, with a panel that includes Nereyda Garcia from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and Nicole Serena from Bayer.

Keynote: OIG Update

Mary Riordan, Senior Counsel, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General for Office of Inspector General, returns for this highly-anticipated review of recent settlement actions and the OIG’s workplan for the upcoming year. From year to year, the presentation is considered one of the cornerstones of the conference as Ms. Riordan discusses the areas currently on the enforcement radar for her office.

Chief Compliance Officer Roundtable

The conference agenda doesn’t provide any details in terms of what topics the CCOs will cover but based on the level of panelist expertise and the fact that it’s scheduled for one hour and fifteen minutes, the roundtable is sure to provide a bevy of useable, first-hand lessons and advice. Panelists include Jill Fallows-Macaluso from Novo Nordisk, Indrani Lall Franchini from Alexion, Jonathan Kellerman of Allergan, Puja Leekha of Lundbeck, and Lori Queisser of Teva.

Networking Reception

The networking reception is a rare, can’t miss opportunity to meet with your peers face-to-face and exchange tips and ideas for strengthening and growing your compliance program. And don’t forget to visit the vendors while you’re in there. They bring a range of innovation and expertise to the industry… and you don’t want to miss those cool giveaways!

Day 2: Thursday, November 8, 2018

During the first half of Day 2, we hear from the government regulators, investigators, and prosecutors with three different sessions: the Assistant US Attorney Roundtable, FCPA Enforcement Update, and the Qui Tam Roundtable.

FCPA Enforcement Update

In light of the recent FCPA case settlement by Stryker, this session should provide interesting insight into the enforcement trend surrounding the Act. Will more cases surface? Is there a renewed focus on the life sciences industry? With panelists from the FBO, the DOJ, and formerly with the SEC, the conversation should prove to be enlightening and educational.

Mini Summit 1: Fostering a Culture of Ethics and Compliance Beyond Just the Laws and Regulations

The first of seven 11:00 AM mini summits, this session captured my attention for its interesting title. The debate over a rules-based approach to compliance versus a values-based approach is not new to the life sciences industry. I will be curious to hear, particularly from a training perspective, how this panel fosters a culture that emphasizes empowerment to always “make the right decision” while still communicating the need to follow the rules and the laws.

Mini Summit IV: Annual Medical Device Compliance Roundtable

This dedicated medical device session features Jonathan Glazier from Philips North America, Marc Levine of Insightec, Laura O’Donnell from GE Healthcare, and David Ryan of Epizyme discussing the topics unique to the industry. The medical device industry faces some of the same compliance issues as their pharmaceutical brethren, but the nature of the products and business process (e.g., reimbursement) present unique challenges. I am anxious to hear how these presenters address risk and strengthen their compliance cultures while facing those challenges.

Mini Summit VII: Compliance 3.0: Managing Promotional Programs, Relationships with Patient Advocacy Groups and New Entrants into the Marketplace.

That title to this session is a mouthful, but it invokes a promise of a forward-thinking approach to the content. Expect this impressive panel, which includes Terra Buckley of Celgene, Michael Clark of Indivior, and Sujata Dayal of Johnson & Johnson to offer bold suggestions beyond the current thinking for the pressing topics listed in the title.

Mini Summit X: Is Your Board of Directors Bored of Your Compliance Dashboards?

Okay, I admit it, the sessions with the creative names tend to catch and pique my interest. Thinking beyond the clever title though, this afternoon mini summit tackles the tricky subject of the board’s involvement and support of the company’s compliance program. It’s a topic that’s been of focus for regulators

Mini Summit XII: The Fine Line of Promotion with Medical Professionals: Avoiding White Coat Marketing   

Since employees who interact with healthcare professionals face a high level of compliance risk, I will be interested to hear how the panelists, including Pamela Lonzer from Alexion, Margaret Sparks from Sanofi, and Ravi Taylor of Ferring, balance the business need for representatives and others to engage with those HCPs, while instituting safeguards to ensure compliance with company policies and regulations.

Mini Summit XXVII: The Compliance Training Revolution

PharmaCertify had the opportunity to sponsor the 3rd Annual Life Science Compliance Training Conference back in June (you can read our key takeaways here), and I came away from that conference pleased that the industry is clearly developing more innovative training with the intent to optimize the learning and create lasting results. It’s been our focus since we started developing compliance training 12 years ago, and I look forward to hearing more about the techniques the panelists utilize to accomplish that same goal.

Summary

Again, these are just a few of the many sessions PCF is offering at the 19th Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance Congress. We look forward to seeing you there and as always, I welcome your feedback on this preview and our blog in general. If you’re attending the conference, don’t forget to stop by the PharmaCertify booth (#108 in the Exhibit Hall) to say hello.

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you in Washington!

9th Annual Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress: A Preview

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , ,

CBI’s 9th Annual Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress is less than three weeks away and we’re looking forward to yet another opportunity to catch up with colleagues and clients and showcase our newest life science compliance training products. The conference gives those of us located on the other side of the country an opportunity to hear tips and best practices from industry professionals who don’t normally participate in the East Coast conferences. A quick scan of the agenda reveals company names as diverse as. Here’s a brief preview of the sessions and panel presentations scheduled for the two-day conference.

Day 1: Wednesday, October 17th 

Chief Compliance Officer Keynote Panel

After two pre-conference summits, one covering aggregate spend and the other patient support programs, the conference sets the stage with a panel of former and current chief compliance officers, moderated by John Kelly of Bass Berry & Sims, and formerly of the Department of Justice. As someone who attends a significant amount of conferences, I support this idea of diving right into the topics at hand, rather than leading off with a speaker who may bring some name recognition or star power but doesn’t necessarily speak to the primary concerns of the audience.

Enforcement Panel: Fraud and Enforcement Trends – Current and Former Perspectives

The enforcement panel scheduled for 2:15 is an interesting blend of those currently in an enforcement role (Chinhayi Coleman Cadet from the Northern District of California and Rachael Honig from New Jersey) with those who formerly served in an enforcement role and now work in the private sector (the aforementioned John Kelly of Bass Berry & Sims and Robert Marasco from Dinsmore & Shohl LLP and former AUSA from New Jersey and the Southern District of California).  The duel perspectives should provide compelling insight into the current prosecutorial trends in the life sciences industry.

Roundtable Discussion: Lessons Learned and Continuing Implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

After a networking and refreshment break, the conversation turns to the timely topic of GDPR. Clearly, there are questions and confusion around the regulation, and we’re especially hoping to hear how these panelists build and deploy training on the hot topic of GDPR. Who are they training in the organization? What topics under the GDPR umbrella are they covering? How often are they updating that training?

Immediately following the GDPR session, Day One closes with a networking, wine, and cheese reception. As you chat with your colleagues and network with new associates, we invite you to stop by the PharmaCertify Booth to learn more about our training solutions. While there, don’t forget to enter the drawing to win an Amazon Echo Smart Speaker with Alexa!

Day 2: Thursday, October 18th

Interactive Exchange: Strengthen Speaker Programs through Innovative Compliance Initiatives and Lessons Learned

Following two sessions on monitoring and auditing, the focus turns, not surprisingly, to yet another hot topic currently under the regulatory microscope, speaker programs. This session should prove to be even more enlightening and revelatory since it is billed as an “interactive exchange” with panelists listed as “conversation contributors.” Those contributors, Ishita Arora of Horizon Pharmaceuticals, Danielle Davis of Insys Therapeutics, Eric Jen of Horizon Therapeutics, and Jenny Shire of Daiichi Sankyo, are sure to have the full attention of an audience hungry for suggestions on how to manage risk in planning and executing the programs.

Choose Between Two Master Classes (A-B)

Before a networking lunch break, attendees have the option to choose between two “master classes” focused on topics that continue to be a source of risk.

Master Class A: Take Action in Light of New Regulatory Updates Surrounding Promotional Compliance and Off-Label Communication

During CBI’s Compliance Congress earlier this year, we learned that the regulatory focus on off-label promotion has shifted somewhat from larger companies to emerging companies and start-ups. Off-label concerns continue to be at the top of qui tam cases, and we’ll be curious to hear the steps Sharon Delshad of Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals and Gary Messplay from King & Spalding recommend for reducing off-label risk

Master Class B: Navigate Third-Party Relationships and Outsourcing Arrangements

For companies that utilize third-party entities for global transactions, Richard J. Ciamacca of Amring Pharmaceuticals, which positions itself as a company that “sells uniquely positioned and harder-to-manufacture generics that bring value to customers and patients,” will offer his insights on navigating the potential risks of those relationships.

Calibrate to Your Organization’s Size – Compliance Program Benchmarking Based on Company Resources

Anytime I see “benchmarking” in the title for a session, I am intrigued. It’s one of the reasons attendees are so interested in attending conferences like these, they want to benchmark their activities and programs against others in the industry. This hour-long session is divided into three presentations: How Companies Can Collect Leads and Advertise Digitally Without Violating Patient Privacy with Sharon Delshad of Nalpropion; Managed Markets Compliance – Mitigate Risks in Relationships with Payers; and Collaborate with Medical Affairs and Elevate MSL Oversight with Tim Ayers from Life Science Compliance Consulting LLC and Gregory S. Moss from Kadmon.

Summary

CBI has a well-earned reputation for organizing compliance conferences that bring together an impressive array of professionals and government representatives to share tips, best practices, and lessons learned. The 9th Annual Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress is no exception.

As a proud sponsor of the 9th Annual Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress, we can offer you a $500 discount on the regular registration price. It’s not too late to register at this special rate, but the discount certificates are limited. Contact me at smurphy@nxlevelsolutions.com if you are considering attending. If you’re already registered, we look forward to seeing you in San Francisco!

Thanks for reading!

Sean Murphy
Marketing Manager and Compliance Training Insights Blog Editor
PharmaCertify by NXLevel Solutions

10 Tips for Creating Transparency Training That Sticks

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With government investigators rigorously examining Open Payments, and on the hunt for red flags, the need for effective tracking and reporting training is more important than ever. Here are ten tips to help you build and deploy transparency training that reduces risk across your organization. 

  1. Go global.
    Make sure your employees understand that transparency covers multiple countries, not just the U.S. Global companies need to think beyond the Sunshine Act and include the relevant codes and laws from around the world. Don’t forget to incorporate requirements from codes like the EFPIA Disclosure Code and the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct, and regulations like Loi Bertrand (French Sunshine Act).
  2. Keep the reports formal.
    Stress the importance of using legal names of healthcare professionals for reporting purposes. Even if an HCP is commonly known as Bob, his license probably reads as Robert. Only legal names should be used. Warn the learners about facility names as well. For example, Saint Joseph’s Hospital for Children might be commonly known as Saint Joe’s, but the full name needs to be used in the reports.
  3. Add in reference resources.
    When developing training, include resources for learners to use on an on-going basis. Infographics or quick reference materials are good options for learners to self-check information they may have forgotten after they completed the training.
  4. Emphasize that ALL HCP spend needs to be tracked.
    Spend reporting requirements vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. A cup of coffee may or may not be reportable, depending on the circumstances. Learners should understand that accuracy is important for HCP spend, regardless of amount or spend type.
  5. Don’t forget the T&E process.
    The details of the travel and expense system are critical. Make sure learners know how to properly record HCP spend in your company’s system. For example, some systems (e.g., Concur) differentiate between a “business guest” and an “HCP guest.” Attributing the spending to the correct category in the system is a time-saving step that helps ensure accurate data.
  6. Include examples of data entry errors.
    Some data entry errors are common, and so are the instructions for correcting them. Identify the common errors in your system and highlight them in the training so learners recognize them during the actual data entry process.
  7. Include a section on HCP interactions.
    Healthcare professionals are aware of the buzz around transparency and privacy. They’re bound to have questions. Instruct sales representatives on how to answer their questions and address their concerns.
  8. Review the rules on speaker programs.
    HCP consultants who serve as speakers on behalf of the company need to make the audience aware that they are being paid by the company. Also, sign-in sheets are necessary to accurately record attendance and account for every physician in attendance.
  9. Make it easy to report errors.
    Include information about the process learners should use, including contact information, when they find errors (misspellings, incorrect state license number, incorrect address, etc.) in the training. Make that information available as a resource they can use later.
  10. It’s all about accuracy.
    No matter the format (live, eLearning, WebEx, etc.), make sure the need for accurate reporting is a recurring theme throughout the training. Take the time to identify and fully understand where errors typically occur in the process and build that information into the follow up training in the form of scenarios and stories. Long live accuracy…king of the content.

The Compliance Foundations™ customizable eLearning module, Global Transparency: Reporting HCP and HCO Transfers of Value, helps learners understand the requirements of worldwide transparency laws and codes, and how those rules help foster open relationships with a company’s HCP customers. Contact me at smurphy@nxlevelsolutions.com if you’d like to see a content outline or course demo.

Thanks for reading!

Sean Murphy
Editor
Compliance Training Insights Blog

News and Notes from the 15th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CBI’s annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, which took place April 23rd to the 25th in Washington DC, featured industry leaders and government representatives espousing the usual best practices for building and maintaining an effective compliance program, but this year’s agenda offered a few surprises and changes in the regulatory wind. The notes below highlight some of the sessions we found to be particularly interesting and newsworthy.

Day 1

CCO Exchange – Adapting and Evolving Compliance Programs in Support of Innovation

Following the opening remarks and a session covering politics and the pharmaceutical industry, the conference kicked into gear as Maggie Feltz of Purdue Pharma, Jennifer McGee of Otsuka, Jill Fallows Macaluso of Novo Nordisk, and Sujata Dayal of Johnson & Johnson discussed their process for “partnering with business” in the company to maximize the strength of their compliance programs. The panelists stressed the importance of establishing a relationship with business that is built on open dialogue and trust.  Documentation is also key to that relationship and as one panelist pointed out, “the government cares about how you document that you are preventing issues.” It’s important to “shape the way you are perceived in the relationship by using business language,” she emphasized, and to measure your own effectiveness by simply determining whether business is inviting you back to the table. Your compliance program is only effective if you have a seat at that table.

Once the partnership is established, you need to “get the business to think and talk about risk and conduct a benefit-risk analysis,” according to one panelist. Another reminded the audience that Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs) hold important clues about topics of focus for the government. This is particularly enlightening considering the recent Aegerion and United Therapeutics CIAs that dealt with third-party patient assistance programs, a topic discussed throughout the conference.

The panelists also covered working with third-party vendors and the need for monitoring and testing of those vendors to ensure they are complying. As one panelist put it, “you need to be sure those companies are applying your standards.”

Stakeholder Spotlight – Strategies for Collaborating with Business Partners to Enhance Compliance Enterprise-Wide   

Gail Cawkwell, Medical Affairs at Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Cecilia Matthews, Human Resources at MedImmune, Gregory Moss, Deputy General Counselor at Kadmon, and Gary Cupit, CEO of PortA Pharmaceuticals provided the business perspective on the compliance/business partnership. The panelists reiterated key points from the CCO session, with one emphasizing the need for the two departments to tackle the issues together as business partners and another seeing compliance not as a goal, but “a base objective that underlies everything.”

One panelist emphasized the need to be aggressive in the approach, pointing out that she is the person “bothering the compliance department, digging into SOPs, asking why they do things that way, and asking how each policy helps the company.”  She prides herself on partnering with compliance to “find a better way to do it.”

Highly-Acclaimed U.S. Healthcare Fraud and Enforcement Panel – Past and Present Prosecutor Parley

A large group of current and past government enforcement representatives covered the current compliance risks facing the life sciences industry. The session started with a discussion about the nation’s opioid crisis and how each office is addressing the epidemic. One current assistant U.S. attorney summarized the threat to the industry succinctly, “If your company is involved in opioids at all, you are under intense scrutiny.”

In one of the more interesting moments of the conference, the panelists pointed out that the focus on off-label enforcement has shifted away from large pharmaceutical companies to smaller ones. According to one speaker, small companies and startups are under greater pressure to sell and to save money, especially if they are funded by venture capital companies. That leads to a higher risk of off-label promotion.

Continuing a theme, prescription assistance programs and patient charities were addressed in relation to kickback risk. As stated, “any coordination between the charity and the company that shows the company is just trying to pay for its product being prescribed is a concern.” At least two current regulators supported the idea of self-disclosure and being honest about potential violations. “Being candid about where the compliance program has fallen short and the steps the company is going to take to correct the problem is important,” one of them said.

The group of former regulators, who mostly now serve as industry counsel, touched on exclusion as a risk. While it may be considered a rarely-sought tool, prosecutors have the threat of exclusion available to them as leverage. They also delved into the importance of data and reminded the audience that prosecutors are indeed scouring Sunshine Act data.

Patient Assistance Programs and Reimbursement Hub Services Compliance – A New Wave of Enforcement Actions

Attendees were provided five options for the first breakout sessions. The PAP and Hub Services panel was moderated by Jane Yoon of Paul Hastings LLP, and featured Peter Agnoletto of Sanofi, Sarah Whipple of Akebia Therapeutics, and Evan Bartell of KPMG LLP.

The discussion began with a polling question asking attendees where the management of donations sits in their organization. Corporate Social Responsibility and the Grants Committee were the top answers. The question led to a discussion over best practices, with one speaker warning, “you at least need to take commercial out of any involvement with donations.” Another admitted that not having a say in how the money is spent is hard concept for the business to grasp but the separation is important.

In the next polling question, attendees were asked if they monitor relationships and interactions with the foundations. 57% replied yes, and 28% said no. The panel reminded the audience that recent CIAs included the stipulation that those relationships are monitored.

Another question was focused on sales representatives and their involvement with donations. 48% of the audience said their reps are provided with talking points. Panelists suggested that if the sales reps are involved, compliance needs to understand how the information is being used. Clear guidelines need to be established and the reps need to be trained on those guidelines.

Off-label Communications – Deep Dive into the New Regulatory Updates and Actions

Angela Rodin of KPMG LLP and Laura Terrell of DLA Piper LLP presented the update on the status of off-label promotion trends and enforcement in the industry. Starting in 2012, enforcement shifted, as companies argued that off-label marketing is protected under the First Amendment and therefore cannot be prosecuted under misbranding provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). One presenter pointed out that while the government is no long pursuing off-label promotion as a stand-alone FDCA case, it continues to enforce False Claims Act (FCA) and Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) cases related to off-label promotion.

The bottom line is that even with strong support of free speech as a defense of off-label promotion, life sciences companies still need to be cautious. Clear and effective training is still needed.

Social Media – New Challenges and Updates

Elizabeth Kim of Loeb & Loeb LLP began the social media presentation with the underlying premise that while the digital landscape has changed dramatically over recent years, the legal landscape remains the same. Even on social media, promotional statements cannot be false or misleading and communications must be consistent with labeling and fair-balanced.

Social media is challenging, the presenter stressed, because it promotes a dialogue, which means the company has a lack of control over the conversation. But there are some steps companies can take that at least help with the control. The ability for readers to comment on posts can be turned off on Facebook. No such control exists with Twitter. In addition, key words can be flagged on Facebook to help monitor comments. Unfortunately, as the presenter noted, most companies lack the resources and personnel to properly monitor social media outlets.

She also mentioned that while companies have no obligation to correct third-party, independent comments, public, unsolicited requests for off-label information must be met with a limited response to contact Medical Affairs only. “If you do reply,” she said, “responses should be narrowly tailored. Watch out for getting into arguments.”

The FDA’s Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) has issued 233 warning letters over the last ten years for omitting information, minimizing risk information, and overstating efficacy claims on social media. As existing platforms evolve, and new ones appear, the need for updated training to ensure your field-based employees are abiding by laws like the FCA and FDCA, as well as OIG guidance and the PhRMA Code, is critical.

Medical Affairs and MSL Oversight

The Medical Affairs panel included Tina Beamon, Alicia Temoche, and Stephanie Macholtz from Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Christine O’Connor-Fiore from Boehringer Ingelheim. The session began with the panelists establishing the general rules for how Medical Affairs may interact with healthcare professionals. Attendees were reminded that Medical Affairs can “do things R&D and Commercial cannot do” and “they are not limited to the label.” MSLs provide training to consultants for speaker programs but in the words of one panelist, “they are not Commercial and their integrity must be protected.”

The panelists admitted that the model for Medical Affairs and Commercial interactions has changed in reaction to marketplace changes. Medical Affairs should share insights as long as those insights are not off-label. “The walls between Commercial and Medical Affairs are coming down,” she said, “and a framework needs to be in place to protect the integrity of the MSL.”

Behavioral Compliance – Using Psychology to Make Programs More Effective

In one of the more unique sessions I’ve witnessed in years of attending compliance congresses, this session focused on behavioral compliance as a tool for generating more compliant outcomes. Yogesh Bahl, of AlixPartners, Kevin Ryan of Novo Nordisk, and Charlene Davis of Sun Pharmaceuticals provided conceptual concepts around the philosophy and practical application of behavioral compliance, using ideas known as “ethical nudges.”

The session began with the audience being asked to provide feedback on which of two compliance posters they thought were more effective. Essentially, one reflected a “rules-based” approach, and the other a “values-based” one. The values-based poster was the more popular choice and the content of the session supported that approach. The underlying premise behind the ethical nudges is that “people become ethical by doing ethical things.” Ethical nudges were essentially defined as “interactions based on the understanding of internal decision-making to promote desirable choices.” They included “read and affirm” documents presented right before a critical HCP interaction, visual cues like signage and posters, and micro-training launched strategically in conjunction with the need for ethical decision making.

Critical CIA and Enforcement Learnings – Zero-In on Emerging Trends to Elevate Compliance Safeguards      

The key points of this session were no surprise considering the oft-repeated focus of recent CIAs. BJ D’Avella of Deloitte and Touche LLP and Seth Lundy of King & Spalding LLP reminded attendees that “the focus of CIAs had shifted to interactions with patients, and more than ever, companies need to have a Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan (RAMP) in place.” That RAMP needs to include activity-based risks in addition to the usual product-based risks.

One of the presenters pointed out that the OIG is focusing on a “smaller number of CIAs that send messages to the industry.” He reminded the audience that CIAs are not laws, but they are a strong indicator of where to focus risk mitigation efforts.

Day 2

CCO Scenario Symposium – What Would You Do?

After a review of the sessions and events of Day 1 by Michael Shaw of GlaxoSmithKline, Day 2 began with this session, during which panelists were asked to participate in a mock case study of “Bad Pharma Co” and expand on lessons learned from this fictional company. Beth Levine of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Ashley Watson of Merck, Jerald Korn of Tesaro, and Keith McGahan of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals were asked to discuss the optimal organizational structure companies like the mock one presented in the case study. One presenter felt that having compliance as part of the legal department was a benefit because it gave her greater access to the CEO and others in the board of directors. Others felt that if compliance has that type of access, “it doesn’t matter where they sit.”

Other scenarios brought up in the case study led presenters to offer tips on dealing with compliance situations and those who raise the concerns. For example, one speaker emphasized that “no matter the source, the company’s obligation is to search for the facts of the case.” Speculation about the whistleblower and his or her credibility should not come into play. Also, “if someone sends information about a violation anonymously, it needs to be kept that way.”

Meeting of the Enforcement Minds

Heather Johnson from the Federal Trade Commission, Sally Molloy from the Department of Justice, and Eric Rubenstein from the OIG presented their suggestions for companies to keep their compliance programs attuned to current regulatory challenges. On the topic of bribery for example, one presenter suggested that “internal controls need to be robust and designed so that they are not siloed. It’s all bribery.” Another emphasized that recent trends point to Medicare and Medicaid fraud as a primary source for qui tam cases.

Beyond the Seven Elements of and Effective Compliance Program – What Else Are You Doing?

As a compliance training company, this session, featuring Jerald Korn of Tesaro, Chad Morin of bluebird bio, and Gregory Moss of Kadmon Holdings, held particularly interest for us. As one presenter stated, “creating a brand for the compliance department is a fun way to convey important information.” That holds true for the training as well, and we work with companies to create a continuous, engaging, and “fun” curriculum.

Another speaker noted the importance of being creative in the policies to help ensure compliant behavior, as well as the need to establish a collaborative culture. As stated, “you’re not trying to check the boxes on all seven elements, you’re trying to build a robust program that is effective.”

Existing and Emerging State Laws Governing Transparency Reporting

The state laws presentation, with Maggie Feltz and Michael Grandison of Purdue Pharma, and Brian Bohnenkamp of King & Spalding, LLP, began with tips for managing aggregate spend:

  • Train company-wide, not just the sales force
  • Train, retrain, then train some more
  • Monitor throughout the year

The panel pointed out that state laws fall into three categories; drug pricing transparency, aggregate spend laws, and sales representative licensing and reporting laws. The landscape across all three changes quickly and they expect 2018 to be as busy as 2017.

In recent state-related news, Maryland’s law was found to be unconstitutional and according to one panelist, that “has quieted some of what other states have been considering.” Oregon was brought up as the most challenging law since it “requires documentation to support your documents.” In New Jersey, where the law was passed on the last day of the outgoing administration, one speaker mentioned that Governor Murphy’s team is considering major changes. On the drug pricing front, the panel expects two or three more laws to be implemented.

Obviously, the state law landscape is confusing and changes are happening at a dizzying rate. As one speaker emphasized, diligence, and continuous training is necessary to “ensure every decision-maker is aware of new requirements.”

Maximization of Compliance Resources

I close with what may have been the best session of the entire conference! (okay, I may be a bit biased since this panel included my colleague, and head of PharmaCertify, Dan O’Connor.) Dan was joined by Chad Morin of bluebird bio and Laurie Kathleen Durousseau of Rigel Pharmaceuticals. The session focused on how compliance professionals can best focus their time and energy toward those activities that are most critical during the various growth stages of a life science company from pre-clinical to established.

Starting with a quick poll of the audience, the panel first determined the average size and stage of companies represented. Most of the audience members were an “n of 1” compliance department in a company with 200 or fewer employees that is in the “Clinical” or “First Product” stage. The panel then shared their suggestions for which compliance-related activities to prioritize during each growth stage. In the “first product” stage for example, aggregate spend transparency reporting; government price reporting; specialized training by function; and patient support program design were discussed, among other topics.

The panelists also covered the need for small departments to partner with the business, as well as other departments, to spread the resource load and accomplish the objectives of each stage. For any compliance department challenged with limited resources and personnel, it was a worthwhile thirty minutes of learning. If you missed the conference, Dan would be happy to provide his perspective on the topic. Feel free to contact him at doconnor@nxlevelsolutions.com.

Summary

The world of life sciences compliance is changing, and so is CBI’s Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress. This year’s conference presented a compelling balance of traditional content that newcomers to the field should find valuable as a base of knowledge, with enough updates on key areas of regulatory focus (off-label, patient assistance programs, state laws, etc.) to keep the seasoned compliance professionals in the audience satisfied with agenda. It also offers industry professionals a rare opportunity to meet face-to-face with their peers and hear best practices for strengthening their compliance cultures and reducing risk. I highly recommend the conference next year for chief compliance officers, specialists, managers, and anyone working in the life sciences compliance training industry. Kudos to CBI and all the presenters!

Thanks for reading.

Sean Murphy
Editor, PharmaCertify Compliance Training Insights Blog

“Dear Connie the Compliance Training Specialist” Debuts on the PharmaCertify Blog!

PharmaCertify Team , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of “Dear Connie the Compliance Training Specialist,” where we answers questions about timely compliance topics and delve into the best training methods to reduce the risks.  

This week: managing the potential perils of speaker programs. 

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Dear Connie,

I am a compliance manager for a small pharmaceutical company in the Northeast. I am concerned that our new sales representatives may assume that they don’t need to worry about the details on speaker programs since an outside vendor manages them for us. We touch on speaker programs in the initial training all representatives take, but I am not sure we emphasized their responsibilities enough. Am I crazy to be concerned?

Signed,

Concerned in Connecticut

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Dear Concerned,

First, you are not crazy and I understand your concern. Speaker programs are a hotbed for potential compliance risks. It has been my experience that if you roll out additional training, like microlearning, assessments, and contests continuously to the reps, you’ll significantly reduce the risk around speaker programs.

Here are just a few topics to keep top-of-mind for the reps, and cover in the continuous training, even when an outside vendor is managing the program for you.

Attending to Attendees Concerns

On-going training needs to emphasize the finer details involving attendance. Representatives need to know that transparency laws require attendance to be documented, and it also helps the company evaluate the program. Whether a meal is offered or not, all attendees must sign-in. Reps need to remember no-shows and those who refuse a meal must be documented.

Speaker programs typically have a minimum required number of attendees. If the RSVPs fall short of that number, the program should be cancelled. Verbal commitments do not count.

Off-label Questions

Off-label questions asked during the presentation are another area of concern. If your company allows speakers to answer off-label questions (not all companies do), the speaker needs to make attendees aware that the question is in reference to an off-label use, and answer only the question that is asked. If that doesn’t happen, the sales representative must interrupt the speaker. Otherwise, the company can be accused of promoting the product for the off-label use. This is a great topic for role-playing during live training.

In addition, physician speakers represent the company. The programs are promotional in nature, so representatives must follow FDA regulations and speakers must follow the approved program. They may not proactively share their experience involving unapproved uses of products.

Speaker Requirements and Issues

I remember one case when a speaker unavoidably arrived late due to traffic and he suggested that he skip several slides to catch up on the time. Make sure the representative knows to stand firm on this. All slides must be delivered.

Another time, the representative realized, after the presentation started, that the speaker added his own slides to the deck. Representatives need to be trained to not panic and cause a disruption, but make note of the incident and notify a manager and the compliance department about the incident. Representatives should remind speakers that in the future, only the approved slides may be used.

Speakers sometimes ask if they can bring additional material about the topic being discussed, to hand out to the attendees. Representatives need to be trained to always let the speaker know that all materials must be approved by their company in advance of the program – whether the request occurs prior to the program or when the speaker arrives. Unapproved handouts are not permitted.

Thank you for a great question!

Connie the Compliance Training Specialist