Meeting type and purpose
In ‘principles of review’ we covered the importance of establishing what exactly it is that you are reviewing. Generally meetings will fall into one of 2 categories depending on the organizer: ‘Astrazeneca organized’ or ‘third party organized’.
Both categories of meeting need to comply with the relevant regulations. However in the case of third party organized meetings the company would not necessarily have any influence over the content or arrangements. In this case the arrangements need to be considered in terms of suitability for AstraZeneca to support. Such support could include general sponsorship, sponsoring a specific part of the meeting, sponsoring delegates to attend or paying to exhibit on a stand at the event. The same rules would apply to aspects such as venues and subsistence (meals) as would to any other meeting, as well as the overall impression of the meeting. Sometimes third party meetings have a substantial amount of ‘social activity’ included that may mean they are not suitable for us to support.
This diagram may help you to slot a meeting into a particular category. You will notice that some types of meeting can fall into more than one category depending on their nature.
Scientific exchange meetings will be covered in a separate module, as they are different in that such meetings allow for the exchange of off label information or information about pipeline products.
This module will only cover the meetings shown in blue boxes where off label information about any AstraZeneca products should not be presented. These meetings must all be educational, whether promotional or non promotional.
Hint and tip: symposia – if a company sponsored symposium forms part of the official proceedings at a scientific congress it may be considered scientific exchange. In this case presentation of data on pipeline products and unlicensed indications may be acceptable. If the symposium does not form part of the congress, you should treat it as a ‘stand alone’ meeting, in which case the content must stay on label.
