| I. PURPOSE
| | This policy establishes rules regarding all visits and contacts made by sales representatives and solicitors to Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) facilities and associated contacts.
| | II. DEFINITIONS
| | Sales Representatives: Individuals who are employed by outside companies to promote prescribers or other staff to use their company’s products, such as prescribing specific medications to patients or ordering a certain laboratory test that utilizes the company’s test kits. Sales representatives provide product information, answer questions about product usage, and deliver product samples to doctors.
Solicitors: Individuals who are employed by outside companies to seek business from DMH staff members or clinics.
DMH Sales Representatives Approved List: List of sales representatives who have signed the Sales Representative Attestation form, attesting to compliance with rules and regulations set forth in this policy. The Sales Representatives Approved List is maintained by DMH Pharmacy Services and available on the DMH internet site.
Detailing: Transfer of medical or general information about drug(s) by the sales representatives to physicians or other healthcare personnel. This may include citing journal studies, side effects, superiority over competitors' products, or general product information for the purpose of promoting sales.
| | III. POLICY
| - No solicitors or sales representatives are allowed on any DMH premises at any time unless pre-approved and properly registered with DMH Pharmacy Services.
- No solicitors or sales representatives are allowed to conduct or participate in in-person or virtual meetings unless pre-approved and properly registered with DMH Pharmacy Services.
- DMH staff, solicitors, or sales representatives shall utilize DMH Pharmacy Services Electronic Appointment Request form to submit a request to DMH Pharmacy Services for approval.
- Each visit to a DMH program by a solicitor or sales representative shall be specifically approved by DMH Pharmacy Services.
- Sales representative visits shall occur in specifically designated, non-public areas (e.g., staff office or a meeting room). Sales Representative visits must not occur in waiting rooms or other areas occupied by patients or where clinical services are delivered.
- Prior to each visit, sales representatives shall contact DMH Pharmacy Services to obtain approval. DMH Pharmacy will notify clinic staff and solicitors or sales representatives of the approval via email.
- Solicitors or sales representatives shall obtain a badge from DMH Pharmacy Services for the approved appointment on the day of the visit. If the appointment is earlier than 10 AM next business day, arrangements can be made with DMH Pharmacy Services to obtain a badge no earlier than 4 pm the business day prior to the appointment.
- Authorized sales representatives shall only be granted access to the program site no earlier than 15 minutes prior to and after the scheduled appointment time and shall not be allowed to attend any clinic conference or meeting where client-specific information or treatment plans are discussed.
- Sales representatives shall not solicit, offer, or provide pharmaceutical company-sponsored events to any DMH staff in any mode of communication during, before, or after their visits regardless of whether the event is provided on-site or off-site. This includes, but is not limited to, lunches, snacks, dinner talks, or trade expositions.
- Detailing or promotion of any non-DMH formulary drugs to DMH personnel at directly operated programs is prohibited unless specifically authorized by DMH Pharmacy Services.
- Upon visit completion, sales representatives must sign out with DMH Pharmacy Services and return their badges. Using the badge outside of the approved visit or appointment or failing to sign out may result in revocation of future visiting privileges for all sales representatives for the vendor.
Permitted Activities of Sales Representatives: - Branded educational materials on the DMH formulary may be given to staff but may not be displayed.
- No gifts, food, or gratuities are allowed.
- Formulary medication samples may be provided but must be handled as any other non-sample medication.
DMH staff shall report any suspected violations of this policy to the DMH Chief of Pharmacy.
Manufacturers in violation of this policy shall not be permitted on DMH premises for any future visits.
| | IV. PROCEDURES
| | No procedures are associated with this policy.
| | V. AUTHORITY
| | DMH Administrative Directive
| | VI. ATTACHMENTS
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