Event venue

Legislation: Not applicable.

MA Code of Conduct

No specific restrictions or requirements regarding event venues, but a venue should be selected for its appropriateness to enable the activity to be conducted and should not be chosen or utilised for the purpose of leisure, sporting or recreational activities.

Entertainment may not be provided to HCPs.

Not applicable.

No specific rules, provided necessary regulatory approvals are obtained.

No event may be held in venues renowned for their sporting or leisure activities. The venue must remain secondary to the scientific aims of the event.

Statutory Laws

No specific rules. Any specifics must be assessed on the case-by-case basis.

INTERFARMA

The location must provide a suitable environment for the development of the proposed scientific and educational topics, with conference rooms and support material for presentations, workshops, professional meetings and, where appropriate, support material.

Inappropriate locations include (but are not limited to) cruise ships, theme parks, and hotels or hotel complexes recognized for their predominantly entertainment features.

SINDUSFARMA

No specific rules. Any specifics must be assessed on the case-by-case basis.

ABIMIP

No specific rules. Any specifics must be assessed on the case-by-case basis.

Avoid venues that are considered ‎lavish or extravagant in nature or ‎that are perceived as luxury venues. ‎Venues must have adequate ‎facilities and be conducive to the ‎scientific, educational and business ‎purpose of the meeting. The venue ‎shall not be primarily known for its ‎entertainment, sports, leisure or ‎vacation facilities (e.g. golf club, ski ‎resort, health spas, ‎beach / river / lake side locations or ‎casino).‎ 

No payment can be made for a ‎‎"clinic room rental fee", "clean-up ‎fee" or any other similar type "fee" ‎that can reasonably be construed as ‎a direct or indirect payment to gain ‎access to an HCP. Paying for a ‎meeting room in a medical building ‎is acceptable if required for a ‎business discussion and provided ‎the "fee" is within fair market value ‎for a dedicated meeting room and is ‎not paid directly to an individual ‎HCP.‎

Luxury venues should not be selected for hosting events.

Statutory Laws and Regulations

No specific rules.

Codes of Conduct

Code of Ethics for Chinese Medical Doctors

No specific rules.

RDPAC Code

All events must be held in an appropriate venue that is conducive to the scientific or educational objectives and the purpose of the events (Article 7).

Companies must avoid using renowned or extravagant venues. Theme venues associated with leisure activities, such as spa, hot spring, holiday resort, ski, golf, gambling, cruise ships, etc., should be avoided (Article 7).

AdvaMed China Code

Companies should adopt objective criteria to select locations and venues. Local alternatives should be considered before sponsoring travel for HCPs. Further, Companies are encouraged to consider China-based alternatives before sponsoring international travel for HCPs (Article IX).

A Third-Party organized procedure training must be held in a clinical setting or in an environment suitable for simulating medical procedures. The venue must not be selected because of its entertainment, leisure, or recreational facilities (Article IV).

RTVSS: It has no specific restriction or limitation. Nonetheless, pharmaceuticals financing the planning or making of conferences, discussions, workshops, meetings, seminars, symposiums, congresses, events and other academic or medical training activities must report any value transference that exceeds one (1) minimum monthly wage during a six-month period that are made to the same recipient. 

The minimum monthly wage for 2020 is: COP $877.803 or approximately USD $260. 

The six-month periods go from January to June, and July until December of each year. 

AFIDRO'S Code of Ethics: Companies must not carry out or sponsor their events in venues created specifically for recreation or tourism. Places predominantly linked with recreational, leisure or sport activities are forbidden as well. 

ANDI's Code of Ethics and Transparency: None, yet, as far as opening and closure events are permitted as long as they don’t include sports, leisure or entertainment elements or activities.

The Ordinance: Pursuant to Article 19 (5) of the Ordinance, the event venue shall be "appropriate" and with predominantly business and / or convention services related offer.

AIFP

Event venue may only offer hospitality when such hospitality is "appropriate" and otherwise complies with the provisions of any Applicable Code(s).

Hospitality must not include sponsoring or organising entertainment events.

In Denmark, there is no "negative" or "positive" list of "prohibited” and "permitted" meeting venues. Such a list could conflict with competition law rules.

In contrast, venues are required to be at a "reasonable level" (ENLI, Guidance on ”The Pharmaceutical Industry's Code of Practice on Promotion etc., of Medicinal Products aimed at Healthcare Professionals" (The Promotion Code), p. 66).

No event may be held in luxury resorts or venues renowned for leisure facilities. In particular, castles or manor houses are prohibited venues (ENLI, Guidance on "The Pharmaceutical Industry's Code of Practice on Promotion etc., of Medicinal Products aimed at Healthcare Professionals" (The Promotion Code), p. 68). 

Directive

No specific rules.

EFPIA

All events must be held in "appropriate" locations and venues that are conducive to the main purpose of the event, avoiding those that are "renowned" for their entertainment facilities or are "extravagant".

IFPMA

All events must be held in an appropriate venue that is conducive to the scientific or educational objectives and the purpose of the event or meeting. Companies must avoid using renowned or extravagant venues.

See Event location.

No event may be held in venues renowned for their sporting or leisure activities. The venue must remain secondary to the scientific aims of the event.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of venues likely to be considered as sumptuary, or ostentatious, touristic, recreational, festive, etc.

• resorts;
• ships;
• castles;
• golf clubs;
• museums;
• amusement parks:
• aquatic centers;
• tourist attractions;
• abbeys;
• wine estates;
• famous monuments;
• concert halls;
• theaters;
• thermal structures;
• sites whose main activity relates to wellness or spa services.

StGB

No specific rules. However, the general principles outlined above apply.

HWG

No specific rules. However, the general rules and restrictions on providing financial inducements and other gifts to HCPs may apply.

UWG

No specific rules.

FSA Code of Conduct Healthcare Professionals

The selection of the event venue should be exclusively based on objective criteria. The event venue should not have an incentive effect that decisively shapes its character. Particularly, event venues known for their leisure / entertainment value and/or that are considered extravagant should be avoided. For example, venues are likely to be considered extravagant if they do not primarily distinguish themselves as a typical business or conference hotel, but where the special luxurious or fancy facilities and / or the experiential character is clearly in the foreground.

No event may be held in venues renowned for their recreational and/or luxury characteristics.  The following is a non-exhaustive list of explicitly prohibited venues:

• Spas;
• Resorts;
• Castles;
• Religious sites.  

The Prevention of Bribery Ordinance

No specific rules. 

HKAPI Code of Practice

Venue should be conducive to the scientific or educational objectives and purposes of the event (para 5.2(b)).

Lavish or extravagant venues should be avoided. The location and venue should not be the main attraction of the event/ be perceived as such (para 5.2(b)). 

Code of Conduct

No specific rules.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of explicitly prohibited venues:

• entertainment establishments (e.g. casino hotels);
• extravagant venues offering leisure activities that are not compatible with the scientific nature of the event (e.g. SPAs, resorts);
• venues specifically designed for hospitality services (e.g. "all inclusive" hotel arrangements).

Venues which are renowned for their entertainment or leisure facilities or are extravagant must not be used.  In particular, corporate hospitality involving sporting, entertainment or social events or activities may not be extended to HCPs.  Events which are organised or sponsored by or on behalf of a company must be held at an appropriate venue that is conducive to the main purpose of the event.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of explicitly prohibited venues:

• resorts;
• ships;
• castles outside urban areas;
• farmhouses;
• golf clubs;
• museums;
• stadiums;
• aquariums;
• thermal structures;
• sites whose main activity relates to wellness or spa services.

Only hospitals, universities, scientific foundations and congress halls allowed in case of local meetings.

FCC and its guidelines

Event venues must be reasonable and appropriate in light of normal business practices and not extravagant under normal social conventions.

The event will always be held in places that are appropriate and conducive to the main objective of the event.

No event may be held at venues that are pretentious or renowned for their entertaining features.

A meeting or manifestation must be hosted at a suited venue, which:

• is subordinate in appearance and facilities to the main purpose of that meeting; and
• geographical location is objectively justified.

By way of example, a luxury resort of castle with ample amenities will likely not be permitted.

Legislation

• There are no applicable legal restrictions relating to event venues.

Medicines New Zealand Code of Practice

• Events should be held at venues conducive to education and learning e.g. conference centre or training facility.
• The choice of venue must withstand public and professional scrutiny and must not be chosen for its leisure, sporting or recreational facilities.

Norwegian Pharmaceutical law

No specific rules.

LMI Industry rules

All destinations and locations used by a Member Company to host an event, must be appropriate and relevant in relation to the purpose of the event, based on professional and logistic criteria. Venues that appear as appear "extravagant" or "luxurious" or typical holiday resorts/destination is not appropriate.

Please also see the prohibtion on third-party events and HCPs in public hospitals under Transport.

Polish Pharmaceutical Law

No specific rules.

INFARMA

Under the "Criteria for events assessment"

• the congress centers;
• the max. 4 stars hotels (with certain exceptions for 5 stars hotels);
• the restaurants (if giving lecture is possible there);
• the cultural venues offering professional conference services (if information about the conducted conference activities is generally available at their websites and no artistic, recreational, sporting, etc. events will be included in the program of the event / will not be available to participants as part of the event).

may be recognized as proper event venues.

PZPPF

Event venues must be appropriate and support the achievement of the main purpose of the event. Suitable venues may include clinical facilities, laboratory facilities, education facilities, conference centres, healthcare facilities, and business hotels.

Luxury hotels, holiday resorts, facilities known for their entertainment or recreational value, or extravagant facilities are never appropriate.

The places selected should be appropriate from a professional, operational and economic standpoint in view of the purpose of the event. No event may be held in venues renowned for leisure or sport facilities. Particularly, the following venues are likely not to be permitted:

• spas;
• golf clubs;
• thermal structures.

No specific rules

Theatre or museum halls (or similar culture related venues) may serve as event venues provided that no artistic event is held at the same time of the event or when access to exhibitions rooms is limited and if the use of such venues is justified by the required capacity for the event. 

Organizing events at 5 star hotels is prohibited.

No specific rules.

In general, there are no specific restrictions, however, during the COVID 19 pandemic, the participants must not exceed 50 people.  

Act on medical products

No specific rules. 

AIFP Code of Conduct

An event cannot be organized in places such as: holiday, golf or spa amusement, ski resorts, casinos, vineyards, five and more-star hotels, extra-urban facilities in refurbished castles and palaces, etc. 

ADL Code of Ethics

No specific rules. 

GENAS Code of Ethics

No member may organize or sponsor a professional event taking place outside the Slovak Republic, if: 

• the majority of the invited participants are not from abroad and have, given the origin of the majority of participants, greater logistical sense to organize an event in another country; or
• with regard to the location of relevant resources or expertise that is subject or purpose of the event, it makes more sense in terms of logistics to organize event in another country. 

All international professional events must be notified to the relevant subsidiary company or branch of a member in that State (if established in that State), or must request consultation at national level, except for events organized professional companies.

The Code

No event may be held at venues that are extravagant or renowned for their leisure or entertainment offers. Five-star hotels should be considered extravagant venues.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of explicitly prohibited venues:

• Sports resort hotels (e.g. with golf course, etc.);
• Theme park hotels;
• Winery hotels;
• Five-star grand luxury hotels.

See Event location.

All events "must be held in an appropriate venue that is conducive to the main purpose of the event. Hotels which are well known recreational locations – such as resorts, spas, golf hotels – reputed for entertainment are not acceptable venues."

Meetings must be held in appropriate venues conducive to the main purpose of the event. Lavish, extravagant or deluxe venues must not be used, companies must not sponsor or organize entertainment (such as sporting or leisure events) and companies should avoid using venues that are renowned for their entertainment facilities. 

Consideration must be given to the programme, overall cost, facilities offered by the venue, nature of the audience, subsistence provided and similar. It should be the programme that attracts delegates and not the associated hospitality or venue.

Federal Law & Implementing Regulations, & Government-Issued Guidance: The laws and regulations do not specifically enumerate or define "appropriate" versus "inappropriate" venues, but enforcement action and settlement history show that selection is likely to impact the government’s perception of potential intent to induce or reward. In addition, the HHS-OIG Guidance states generally, with respect to entertainment, recreation, travel, meals, gifts, gratuities, and other business courtesies that the AKS should be considered and that "compliance with the PhRMA Code with respect to these arrangements should substantially reduce a manufacturer's risk." 68 Fed. Reg. 23,721, 23,738 (May 5, 2003). See below. Other guidance may discuss appropriateness or inappropriateness of venues for certain HCP interactions (e.g., OIG Special Fraud Alert on Speaker Programs provides that speaker programs held at venues that are not conducive to the exchange of educational information, such as golf courses, wineries, and sports stadiums, would be suspect). 

State Laws & Implementing Regulations:  Several state laws reflect an expectation of reasonable and appropriate event locations (for example, New Jersey in reference to venues and circumstances conducive to bona fide services; other states through incorporation of the PhRMA and/or AdvaMed Codes). 

Industry Codes of Conduct: The PhRMA Code and AdvaMed Code address restrictions regarding event venues. For example, the PhRMA Code states that for consulting arrangements with HCPs the venue and circumstance of meetings with consultants must be conducive to the primary focus of the meeting, and resorts are specifically not appropriate venues. The AdvaMed Code states that companies should not select a setting because of its entertainment or recreational facilities (e.g., resorts in geographic locations renowned primarily as seasonal vacation destinations).