Sale of Products and Services to Patients
Professional Standards Regarding the Sale of Products and Services to Patients
Preamble
The sale of products or services by physicians to patients gives rise to potential ethical problems.
The College endorses the Canadian Medical Association Code of Ethics, as it relates to the sale of products or services by physicians to patients. This standard should be read in conjunction with the College’s Professional Standards Regarding Conflict of Interest.
Professional Standard(s)
- Physicians must disclose to patients any financial interest they have with the manufacture or sale of a product or service.
- As with any clinical decision, the decision to sell products and services must be evidenced based. Physicians must provide accurate information to the patient about the product or service to ensure the patients ability to make an informed decision.
Resources
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia:
- Professional Standards Regarding Conflict of Interest
- Professional Standards and Guidelines Regarding Advertising and Public Communications by Physicians
- Professional Standards Regarding Interest or Ownership in a Facility or Enterprise
- Professional Standards Regarding Billing
Canadian Medical Association:
Acknowledgements
In developing this document the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Nova Scotia incorporated relevant sections of the Canadian Medical Association’s Code of Ethics as included in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia’s document Promotion and Sale of Products, May 2014.
Document History
This document was first approved by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia on: September 28, 2001
This document was reviewed and approved with minor changes by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia on: March 10, 2006
This document was reviewed and approved with significant changes by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia on: May 27, 2011
Reviewed and approved by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia on: May 22, 2015
Reviewed and approved by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia on: May 25, 2018
Approximate date for next review: 2021