§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal for drug companies to give pens or other gifts to doctors in exchange for an undertaking to prescribe a product as part of a clinical assessment which may have little research validity.
§ Dr. VaughanNo. It is not intended to introduce such legislation. The provision of gifts and inducements to doctors for the purposes of sales promotion is a matter best dealt with by a voluntary code of practice and is adequately covered by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry code of practice.