City of Philadelphia - File #: 180888-A

• File #: 180888-A
• Version: 2
• Type: Bill
• Status: FAILED
• File created: 10/11/2018
• In control: Committee on Public Health and Human Services
• Title: Amending Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Health Code," by adding a new Chapter 6-1200, entitled "Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Practices," to provide for registration of pharmaceutical manufacturer agents and certain other requirements; and to prohibit gifts by pharmaceutical manufacturers and their agents to health care practitioners; all under certain terms and conditions.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Bass
• Indexes: HEALTH CODE, PHARMACEUTICAL SALES AND MARKETING PRACTICES
• Code sections: Title 6 - HEALTH CODE

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
2/7/2019	1	CITY COUNCIL
1/31/2019	1
1/31/2019	1	CITY COUNCIL
1/31/2019	2	CITY COUNCIL
1/31/2019	2	CITY COUNCIL
12/6/2018	1	CITY COUNCIL	SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL	Pass
12/6/2018	1	CITY COUNCIL	ORDERED PLACED ON THIS DAY`S FIRST READING CALENDAR	Pass	14:3
12/6/2018	1	CITY COUNCIL	READ AND ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S SECOND READING CALENDAR
11/30/2018	0	Committee on Public Health and Human Services	HEARING NOTICES SENT
11/30/2018	0	Committee on Public Health and Human Services	HEARING HELD
11/30/2018	0	Committee on Public Health and Human Services	AMENDED
11/30/2018	1	Committee on Public Health and Human Services	REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED
10/11/2018	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Referred	Pass

Title
Amending Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Health Code," by adding a new Chapter 6-1200, entitled "Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Practices," to provide for registration of pharmaceutical manufacturer agents and certain other requirements; and to prohibit gifts by pharmaceutical manufacturers and their agents to health care practitioners; all under certain terms and conditions.

Body
WHEREAS, the opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions in Philadelphia, such that over 1,200 people are believed to have died from drug overdoses in 2017, over 80% of which involve prescription opioid painkillers, heroin, or fentanyl; and where tens of thousands of people are believed to be addicted to opioids; and

WHEREAS, four out of five new heroin users nationally started with prescription opioids; and

WHEREAS, rates of sales of prescription opioids more than doubled between 2001 and 2011 in Philadelphia and currently remain well above the sales levels of 2001; and

WHEREAS, this increase in sales has been driven to a significant extent by aggressive and misleading marketing by pharmaceutical companies and their representatives, who-as stated in detail in the complaint that the City has filed against multiple opioid manufacturers in City of Philadelphia v. Allergan, et al--encouraged health care providers to overprescribe these medications; and

WHEREAS, there is significant evidence that in-person sales visits by pharmaceutical representatives, accompanied by gifts such as free meals and office supplies, influence providers' prescribing behavior; and

WHEREAS, there is evidence that pharmaceutical companies have made misleading claims about medications other than opioids, such as Zyprexa, Effexor and Pamine; and

WHEREAS, prohibiting gifts of any value from pharmaceutical representatives to heath care providers will reduce inappropriate influence and restore trust among patients in their providers; and

...