Pharma events serve a primarily educational purpose. They provide an environment in which pharmaceutical companies can share and convey information about such issues as clinical development, medical education and scientific research. Before pharma events get under way, however, there are many matters for their organisers to keep in mind, from locating and booking the venue and accommodation to arranging for the supply of necessary equipment and materials. In addition to looking after these details, organisers must also take care that pharma events adhere to the code of practice of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) in achieving the right balance between educational content and hospitality.



According to the requirements of the code, any hospitality offered as part of pharma events should be appropriate and secondary to the main, educational purpose of the meeting. Venue, accommodation and meals should not be more costly or elaborate than is justified by the level of the event itself. Programme arrangements at pharma events also need to demonstrate compliance with the ABPI code, and advertising should be seen to promote the educational content rather than the venue or the food. Any sponsorship must be indicated clearly on all relevant items at pharma events, while the items themselves should also comply with the code. Activities may be offered only if they relate to the main educational purpose of the event.

Every company holding pharma events must have a specific policy relating to meetings, under which any hospitality provided at those meetings has to be secondary to educational content. Failure to adhere to the policy may result in heavy sanctions against an offending company. The need to ensure that pharma events comply with the code in every way thus poses a difficult and complex task for their organisers. For this reasons, some companies are seeking the help of venue finding agencies to organise pharma events.

Certified by an industry consultant and possessing an in-depth knowledge of the ABPI code's requirements, these agencies can facilitate the work of organising pharma events while ensuring they comply with the code in every way. A venue finding agency can save time for pharma events organisers as well as easing the worry of establishing the correct balance between education and hospitality, and thereby complying with the code of practice. While pharmaceutical companies still carry the ultimate responsibility for presenting pharma events that conform to the code, the knowledge and support provided by a venue finding agency can prove invaluable.

The location of the venue, in addition to the choice of venue itself, is important under the code, as neither venues nor locations should be seen to be the main attractions of pharma events. With an extensive knowledge of venues, an agency that specialises in pharma events will be able to source a range of suitable options in appropriate locations to match your requirements. Pharma events organisers whose guests require overnight accommodation will also benefit from handing over arrangements to a venue finding agency. As well as sourcing accommodation that is acceptable to the requirements of the ABPI code of practice, an agency can negotiate the best possible rates for pharma events guests, manage room allocation, take booking enquiries, send out confirmations and handle any other matters associated with accommodation. Like the many services offered by a venue finding agency in connection with pharma events, this assistance with accommodation is provided free of charge to the organisers. Venue finding agencies can give this service because they are funded by hotels and conference venues.

As well as sourcing an acceptable venue in an appropriate location, an agency that specialises in pharma events can also give advice about the planned programme, equipment and activities. Organisers can even hand over the arrangements for leisure activities at pharma events to a venue finding agency, secure in the knowledge that the agency's familiarity with the code will ensure that these activities are acceptable to ABPI requirements. Without this expertise, the task of organising activities can be difficult, because they also must relate to the main educational purpose of pharma events. A venue finding agency that specialises in pharma events can advise organisers as to whether its planned activities will be regarded as professional and, therefore, acceptable under the code. In the same way, a venue finding agency can also provide expert help with the selection of equipment suppliers for pharma events and can advise on other aspects of the planning, such as advertising, so that the right balance between education and hospitality is maintained.

When planning pharma events, therefore, it is important to know they are acceptable to the requirements of the ABPI. The help of venue finding agencies can give you this reassurance. With the help of specialist knowledge and advice, you can be sure that your pharma events will be successful and will comply with the code of practice of the ABPI.