Madrid, April 17th 2015.- Authorities, professionals and healthcare organizations, patients and the pharmaceutical industry gathered together today during the Conference ““Transparency as a generator of trust”, organized by Farmaindustria, precisely to discuss and progress in this field. Antoni Esteve, President of the Association, stated that “transparency has become an unavoidable requirement in all environments, so health should not constitute an exception”

“The pharmaceutical industry is more than willing to lead the transparency debate as it generates trust, and trust is essential to guarantee a healthcare provision which is aligned with the highest quality standards”  the President of Farmaindustria pointed out during the opening session of the Conference, in which Paloma Martín, Deputy Councillor of Healthcare Standards in Madrid also participating.

This is the aim of the new “Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry”, which came into force in January 2014 and by which companies will be obliged- from 2016- to annually disclose the transfers of values which are made to healthcare professionals and organizations in return for research and development or educational activities, as well as for their participation in scientific-professional meetings, or through donations or services provision.

For Esteve, “this initiative has a scope and magnitude that has no precedents in other business sectors, with which we hope to foster trust in the legitimacy and necessary collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals”.

Two round tables were held during the Conference. The first one, moderated by Spanish Journalist Pilar Cernuda, was to discuss transparency of the interrelations based on a legitimate need. Other participants at this table included María Gálvez, Director of the Spanish Parkinson Federation; Joaquín Rubio, Public Health Advisor to the Spanish Ministry of Health; Mariano Rigabert, Director General of Madrid’s Standards and Inspection; Roser Vallès, Director General of Catalonia’s Healthcare Standards and Regulations; y Javier Ellena, Vice President of Farmaindustria.

The second table–moderated by the Spanish President of the Spanish Association of Healthcare Journalists, Alipio Gutiérrez-, was dedicated to a deeper discussion about transparency within the healthcare sector and, specifically, from the perspective of healthcare professionals. Therefore, participants included José Luis Llisterri, President of the Spanish Association of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN); José Vicente Moreno, President of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER); Jesús C. Gómez, President of the Spanish Society of Community Pharmacies (SEFAC); José Manuel Cózar, President of the Spanish Association of Urology (AEU); and Fernando Carballo, President of the Spanish Society of Digestive Pathology (SEPD).

Humberto Arnés, Director General of Farmaindustria highlighted during the closing session that “this new Code of Practice brings about an excellent opportunity to strengthen the image and trust for society of the healthcare sector in general and particularly in the pharmaceutical industry”. This Code transposes the European regulation, harmonizing the Spanish Self Regulation System with the rest of our surrounding countries.