|
|
|
|
InVivo Therapeutics has a well-established Compliance Program that reflects
InVivo Therapeutics’s commitment to compliance with the laws and regulations
that govern the medical device and pharmaceutical development, marketing and
selling activities in the United States. InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance
Program also is consistent with the recommendations set forth in “Compliance
Program Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers,” published by the Office of
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “HHS-OIG
Guidance”) and the provisions of the Code on Interactions with Healthcare
Professionals created by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America (“PhRMA Code”). The goal of InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance Program
has always been to maintain a culture that promotes the prevention, detection
and resolution of potential violations of law or Company policy.
The fundamental elements of InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance Program as it
relates to development, sales and marketing activities in the United States are
described below. InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance Program is dynamic, involving
regular assessment and adjustment to ensure the Program is responsive to the
Company’s evolving business and associated compliance risks.
|
|
|
Overview of Compliance Program
|
1. Leadership and Structure
|
InVivo Therapeutics has the appropriate resources in place to support our
commitment to compliance.
Engaging in sales and marketing activities in the United States we have
establish compliance requirements to support InVivo Therapeutics’s business
processes which creates a culture of compliance. Compliance audits work in
cooperation with InVivo Therapeutics’s Chief Executive who has responsibility
for corporate wide compliance. InVivo Therapeutics’s Chief Executive Officer
reports to the Board of Directors, and periodically reports compliance status
to the Company’s Board of Directors.
|
|
2. Written Standards
|
The development and distribution of written standards of conduct, as well as
written policies, procedures and guidelines is a key element of InVivo
Therapeutics’s Compliance Program.
-
InVivo Therapeutics’s Code of Conduct is our universal statement of the values,
standards and ethical principles that guide our daily operations. The Code of
Conduct is available to all employees on the Company’s intranet and applies to
everyone conducting business on behalf of InVivo Therapeutics.
-
In addition to its Code of Conduct, InVivo Therapeutics has corporate policies,
procedures and guidelines that outline the specific behaviors required for
day-to-day operations and outline how InVivo Therapeutics employees are
expected to conduct their activities. Among other things, these policies,
procedures and guidelines address potential risk areas and identify ways to
eliminate the risk. Areas discussed are InVivo Therapeutics-led promotional and
educational programs; financial support of independent continuing medical
education; scientific research grants; consulting arrangements with healthcare
professionals; service agreements with customers; and the provision of grants
in support of healthcare-related initiatives sponsored by professional
societies, patient advocacy groups, trade associations, charitable entities and
other organizations. InVivo Therapeutics’s policy relating to professional
representative interactions with healthcare professionals provides that such
interactions must focus on: providing current, accurate, and balanced
information about InVivo Therapeutics research and products transmitting sound
scientific and educational information, and supporting medical research and
education. As a matter of policy, InVivo Therapeutics employees are prohibited
from offering healthcare professionals items of personal benefit, such as
tickets to sporting events, support for office social events, gift certificates
to stores, golf outings or athletic equipment.
-
Under InVivo Therapeutics policies, our personnel occasionally may provide
healthcare professionals with approved educational or practice-related items
that are not of substantial value. These materials are intended primarily to
benefit patients and may include items such as medical textbooks, medical
journals, or anatomical models. Items of minimal value may also be provided if
they primarily are associated with a healthcare professional’s practice. For
example, items such as pens, notepads and similar “reminder items” with company
logos may be distributed in modest quantities. Policy measures are designed to
ensure that these items are provided in accordance with the PhRMA Code and the
HHS-OIG Guidance.
-
InVivo Therapeutics policy also permits informational presentations and
discussions by InVivo Therapeutics representatives or others speaking on InVivo
Therapeutics’s behalf. These events provide high quality clinical, disease and
drug therapy information, are in accordance with FDA regulations, and are
specifically designed to provide the type of information practicing medical and
health care professionals have indicated to InVivo Therapeutics that they need
and find most useful in the treatment of their patients. In connection with
such presentations or discussions, occasional meals may be offered to medical
or health professionals provided the meals occur in a venue and manner
conducive to informational communication. Policy measures are designed to
ensure that these meals are provided in accordance with the PhRMA Code and the
HHS-OIG Guidance.
-
As required by California Health & Safety Code §§ 119400-119402, InVivo
Therapeutics has established an annual dollar limit on educational or
practice-related items, items of minimal value and meals which InVivo
Therapeutics employees are permitted to provide to medical or health
professionals in California under InVivo Therapeutics policy. As of July 1,
2005, the annual limit of $900 applies prospectively to educational or
practice-related items, items of minimal value, and meals associated with
informational presentations or discussions provided to medical or health
professionals in California; and incorporates the limitations and definitions
contained in the statute.
-
InVivo Therapeutics’s annual dollar limit does not include samples given to
physicians and healthcare professionals, financial support for continuing
medical education forums, financial support for health educational scholarships
and fair market value payments for legitimate professional services provided by
healthcare or medical professionals. In addition, the annual dollar limit does
not include reprints, printed advertising or promotional materials, and items
provided for distribution to patients (e.g., patient-oriented health and
disease management information).
-
Some of the medical and health care professionals InVivo Therapeutics calls on
have practices spanning multiple therapeutic categories in which InVivo
Therapeutics has medicines and vaccines. InVivo Therapeutics’s research in
development includes several products that are actively promoted by InVivo
Therapeutics representatives. Because of the breadth of topic areas that are
relevant to these practitioners, a larger number of discussions and
informational presentations occur between these individuals and InVivo
Therapeutics representatives. It is in recognition of these instances that
InVivo Therapeutics’s annual upper limit on expenditures for medical and health
care professionals is currently set at $900. The largest of these expenditures
is meals associated with informational presentations and discussions. However,
these expenditures also include the fair market value of educational and
practice-related items provided to medical and health care professionals as set
forth above.
|
|
3. Education and Training
|
Another critical element of our Compliance Program is the education and
training of our employees on their legal and ethical obligations under InVivo
Therapeutics policy and the laws, regulations and guidelines that govern
pharmaceutical marketing and selling activities in the United States.
-
InVivo Therapeutics is committed to taking all necessary steps to effectively
communicate our standards and procedures to all affected personnel. InVivo
Therapeutics’s Code of Conduct, corporate policies, procedures and guidelines
are available to employees at all times through the InVivo Therapeutics
intranet. All InVivo Therapeutics sales and marketing employees are required to
participate in training as a condition of their employment. In addition, these
employees will undergo periodic re-training and remedial training programs as
necessary. The training process is overseen by distinct training departments.
-
The following training plan applies to all field based employees. New hires
receive testing and certification on InVivo Therapeutics’s Field Policy Letters
and general sales and product training. This includes training to ensure
compliance with federal laws and regulations that relate to pharmaceutical and
medical device sales and marketing such as the Anti-Kickback Statute, the
Prescription Drug Marketing Act, and FDA drug promotion regulations. After
initial training, there is periodic training aimed at recertifying field based
employees on relevant policies. Field-based employees in geographies with state
or other region-specific legal or regulatory requirements also receive training
specific to the local requirements.
-
The content for all training is evaluated and updated periodically to ensure it
remains relevant and current.
|
4. Internal Lines of Communication
|
InVivo Therapeutics strives to provide a work environment that encourages
employees to communicate openly with management about all types of workplace
issues. Accordingly, as a matter of policy, employees are encouraged to bring
workplace issues of any type to the attention of management without fear of
retaliation or recrimination. To support this concept, InVivo Therapeutics has
established the following resources:
-
InVivo Therapeutics encourages employees, as a first step, to seek out an
immediate supervisor or manager to discuss workplace issues. If the matter is
not successfully resolved, an employee may pursue the issue with his/her next
level of management or Human Resources.
-
InVivo Therapeutics also has a confidential outside telephone line made
available to all employees who wish to anonymously raise concerns about
potential unethical or illegal behavior or violations of InVivo Therapeutics
policies. This telephone line is operated by an independent firm who will
forward reported concerns to the InVivo Therapeutics Office of Ethics for
response or investigation. The telephone line is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
|
5. Auditing and Monitoring
|
InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance Program includes monitoring, auditing, and
ongoing evaluation regarding compliance with the company’s policies and
procedures. In accordance with the HHS-OIG Guidance, the nature of our reviews
as well as the extent and frequency of our compliance monitoring and auditing
varies according to a variety of factors, including new regulatory
requirements, changes in business practices, and other considerations. Results
of auditing, monitoring and evaluation are, as appropriate, followed up on
specifically, incorporated in training and communications strategies and
considered when making choices in connection with ongoing general management of
the business.
The primary responsibility for oversight is with line management. To assist
managers with this responsibility, InVivo Therapeutics provides them with
reports from tracking and oversight systems that capture key compliance
indicators to aid them in monitoring compliance with company policy and
investigating any potential violations of policy. Management oversight is
supplemented by audits.
InVivo Therapeutics utilizes a combination of up-front planning, and periodic
tracking and monitoring to comply with the annual dollar limit established
pursuant to California Health & Safety Code §§ 119400-119402. At periodic sales
planning meetings, representatives are allocated an amount of resources that
they may use with physicians identified as Multi-Therapeutic Category
Practitioners, as described in Section 2 above, throughout the year. Adherence
to the plan will then be monitored on an on-going basis. |
6. Hiring
|
InVivo Therapeutics is committed to hiring a workforce whose actions will
reflect a high degree of integrity and ethics, recognizing that the ability to
excel depends on the integrity, knowledge and skills of our people.
Accordingly, the Company invests significant resources in identifying and
hiring highly qualified and skilled individuals. In addition, prior to allowing
the individual to commence employment with the Company, InVivo Therapeutics
performs a drug screening and background investigation of the individual. The
background investigation includes verification of employment history, and
education. InVivo Therapeutics also performs a criminal background
investigation that searches for any felony or misdemeanor on both a county and
federal level. If deemed appropriate to the position, checks also will be
conducted of professional certifications and licenses, motor vehicle records
and credit history. |
7. Responding to Potential Violations
|
A Compliance Program increases the likelihood of preventing, or at least
identifying unlawful and unethical behavior. However, HHS-OIG recognizes that
even an effective Compliance Program may not prevent all violations. As such,
our Compliance Program requires the company to respond promptly to potential
violations of law or company policy, and take appropriate disciplinary action.
Specifically, InVivo Therapeutics’s Compliance Program includes a clearly
defined violations process that sets out the potential consequences of
violating the law or company policy. Although each situation is considered on a
case-by-case basis, InVivo Therapeutics policy requires that consistent and
appropriate disciplinary action be taken to address inappropriate conduct and
deter future violations. InVivo Therapeutics also assesses whether identified
violations are in part due to gaps in our policies, practices, or internal
controls, and if so, takes appropriate action to prevent future violations.
InVivo Therapeutics plans to continue its practice of ongoing refinements to it
Compliance Program to take into account its business needs, including needs
arising as a result of new product introductions. InVivo Therapeutics’s
Comprehensive Compliance Program will be updated to reflect such changes as
necessary.
|
|
| TERMS
OF USE |
| |
PRIVACY
POLICY |
| |
COPYRIGHT
@ ---- INVIVO |
|
|