The International Pediatric Association

Guidelines for Relationships with Industry

Approved by the IPA Standing Committee February 12, 2005

      IPA Policies regarding donations from External Organisations

Principles

   ·        IPA vision and values must drive all proposed relationships with donors

   ·        Funding relationships must preserve and promote trust in IPA.

   ·        Funding relationships must preserve IPA control over all proposed activities.

   ·        All IPA activities must promote children’s health and /or the capacity of pediatricians to improve children’s health.

   ·       The IPA will not involve itself in endorsement or marketing of products.

    ·        IPA activities should be funded from multiple sources whenever possible.

   ·       Member societies must be accountable to ethical standards consistent with IPA policy.

Policy

   1.  Donations may be accepted for general or specific purposes. Discussion and written agreement with donors are essential to ensure that donations will be used appropriately and ethically for the purpose for which they are given.  IPA reserves the right to publish the findings of any sponsored  projects in appropriate publications without censorship or influence from donors..

   2.  Donations will be acknowledged in the Triennial Report of the Executive Director and President.  

   3.  Donations will not be accepted from organisations or industries directly engaged in:

    Production, distribution, advertising, marketing or sponsorship of:

- Tobacco and tobacco products
- Alcohol production for consumption
- Arms production

Negative practises including:

 - Exploitation of children, including child labor

 - Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes

 - Unethical marketing practises                  

 - Discriminatory business practices

 IPA Policy on Infant Formula Manufacturers

   In addition to its stated Principles and Policies, IPA restates its earlier position:   “IPA has for many years strongly advocated breast feeding for babies world wide and will continue to do so.”

   IPA fully supports the International Code on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and the subsequent biannual amendments of the World Health Assembly to that Code.

   IPA Policy on the ethical conduct of Congresses, Workshops, and Seminars

1. Commercial exhibits must be solely for educational purposes and accessible only to registered delegates

2. All corporate sponsorships must be clearly acknowledged in Congress materials, without use of product names or logos or awards.
   
   
3. Any conflicts of interest must be disclosed in written documentation for:
   - chairs of sessions,
   - speakers at sessions,
   - discussants at sessions (verbally, when appropriate),
   - IPA programs and publications.

Examples of conflict of interest include:
- employment of self or close family members in commercial organisations

  relevant to the content of the session,
- funding of research by commercial organisations
- funding of delegate's registration/travel/accommodation at the meeting

4. The IPA/Congress logo will be the only logo displayed on delegates’ kits, banners and scientific session materials, and only IPA materials and other programmatic or academically relevant materials may be displayed in  conference areas.   
   
   
5. The inclusion of commercial promotional material in audio visual aids for scientific sessions is not permitted, and commercial materials may not be displayed outside of commercial exhibit areas.
   
   
6. Research presented at the Congress must have been conducted in an ethical manner and, whenever possible, institutional ethical review approval must be documented. In the case of multinational research, all countries involved must give approval.
   
   
7. IPA will provide space in the Congress venue for promotion of breast-feeding.
   
   
8. Congress organizers must present a written document to IPA stating that their Congress will be conducted with strict adherence to IPA ethical standards as set forth in this document.

IPA Policy regarding individual ethical responsibility at scientific meetings.

1. Acceptance of financial incentives to purchase products is not permitted

2. Acceptance of gifts for delegates is not acceptable
   
3. Acceptance of free samples of drugs and other products is not acceptable.

IPA Policy on education in ethical values

1. IPA promotes the learning of ethical values and principles, particularly in relation to child health, beginning in undergraduate training and progressing through the continuum of medical education.
   
   
2. The conduct of all IPA Congresses, Workshops, and Seminars must exemplify IPA standards, and serve as models of  acceptable ethical practises.  Specific sessions on ethical issues may be included in IPA programs.
   
   
3. IPA will make information on contemporary ethical issues available to Member Societies.