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Michael A. Mussallem, chairman and CEO, Edwards Lifesciences, and chairman of the Advanced Medical Technology Association's (AdvaMed) Board of Directors, has announced a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in consultation with AdvaMed, which finds the medical device industry has been quick to adopt and implement the association's Code of Ethics. According to an AdvaMed press release, the survey has 90 percent of respondents reporting policies in place that address all provisions of the AdvaMed Code of Ethics.

"Preserving ethical interactions between medical device companies and their physician partners is essential to a robust medical technology industry, and our member companies and the medical technology industry at-large have embraced the AdvaMed Code of Ethics with enthusiasm," Mussallem said in the press release. "An ethical collaboration between medicine and industry helps to fuel the next wave of medical advancement, ensures the safe and effective use of advanced medical technologies, and broadly benefits patient care."

Mussallem went on to say, "PwC's survey confirms the medical technology industry's strong commitment to acting with integrity and vigorously adhering to the highest ethical standards in interactions with health care professionals. While this new research shows strong adoption of the Code, we will continue working to ensure even broader awareness, adoption and support of the Code across industry and the clinical environment."

The survey, in which thirty-two companies participate, showed that close to twenty-five percent of survey respondents in 2005 had no prior corresponding compliance policies in place, and created a new internal company policy in response to the AdvaMed Code.

In addition, the survey found that top compliance challenges in 2009 for these companies included increased investigations from US Attorneys, the Department of justice or the Office of the Inspector General in the pharma and health care industries; increased activity concerning the Federal Anti-kickback Statute and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; increase in the number of state marketing and disclosure laws and pending Sunshine Act legislation; implementing an international compliance program with focus on international customizations/accommodations; an increased scrutiny for off-label promotion.

The top compliance program priorities for these companies in 2009 include sales and marketing compliance review; managing impact of revised industry codes, their implementation and affect on promotional tactics; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act & similar Anti-bribery/Anti-corruption laws; and data privacy.

Based on a press release by AdvaMed, and the PricewaterhouseCoopers Survey Report.