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Corporate Membership Terms of Reference

As a Corporate member of BOPA, your company has expressed their willingness to support the philosophy and activities of the association.

This document sets down the criteria for the relationship between your company and BOPA and aims to maintain the independence of the association.

Application for membership may be made at any time and is valid for 365 days.

1. BOPA emailing broadcast facility

This is made available to Corporate members of BOPA, in order to enable them to mail specific items of literature to BOPA members. It is made available no more than three times annually, per Corporate member and is subject to the following conditions:

  • Educational events endorsed by BOPA E&T Committee (Process of endorsement will be published on the BOPA Website for reference)
  • It may only be used to mail those specific items that are ABPI compliant and that have been approved by the BOPA Executive Committee
  • Promotional material that is compliant with ABPI. Note that any BOPA Corporate members that are not part of ABPI, i.e. software or device manufacturers, are expected to adhere to ABPI standards when communicating with BOPA members
  • One-off product safety alerts where there is rapid need to disseminate information (it is expected that this will not happen more than once per year). More than once a year, the company will need to demonstrate an alternative strategy in place
  • Approval of literature by the committee should not be taken to imply endorsement of any company, product or service by BOPA. Care must be taken not to create this impression in recipients of mail shots or others
  • No BOPA member will be excluded from receiving communications using the mailing list. For clarity, this includes all BOPA members working outside of with the NHS
  • Once approved, the documents/items can be mailed and/or emailed to all members
  • The only exception is where members are from outside the UK, and the mailing relates to a medicine with a UK specific marketing authorisation. Targeted mailing is permitted in this instance
  • Three email broadcasts per year to the BOPA membership are permitted and are included in the Corporate membership fee
  • Further broadcasts are permitted at the discretion of the BOPA Committee

The following notifications are not permitted:
Market research activities, unless the information gained is shared with BOPA and BOPA Committee deems it of value to BOPA members
Routine product safety alerts and SPC updates – the BOPA membership list is not to be used as part of any formal communication linked to regulatory requirements
Promotion/notification of educational events not endorsed by BOPA E&T Committee

2. BOPA website

Unrestricted access to the members section of the website for 10 additional people per corporate member

  • Access to the member’s forum on the website
  • The opportunity to add a URL link to your corporate website from the BOPA website
  • Additional collaboration relating to the website will be considered by the committee

3. BOPA Symposium

Corporate members will receive priority applications for:

  • Sponsorship opportunities
  • Satellite symposia
  • Discounts for exhibition space and delegates places at the annual symposium

When working with ISOPP the points above will be considered but are not guaranteed.

4. Newsletter

Any newsletters and other members’ correspondence will be sent to the primary contact of your company

5. Access to the BOPA Executive Committee

From time to time the committee has acted as a focus group for corporate members in providing opinions and advice on a variety of issues. The committee welcomes approaches from corporate members who wish to work with them in this way. Such approaches should be made to the BOPA chair person, vice-chair person or via Succinct Medical Communications. However, because of time constraints, access to the committee for such purposes cannot be guaranteed.

Applications to have access to or work with sub-committees must be made through the BOPA Chair or Vice-Chair person.

6. Sponsorship of BOPA events

Pharmaceutical companies wishing to sponsor events arranged by BOPA will continue to be welcomed on the understanding that the company or any of its representatives will take no official part in the event and may be excluded from certain discussions. The exception will be where an individual representative may be specifically invited to the event because of their specific interest or experience. In such a case, it would be accepted that the views expressed were those of the individual rather than those of the company.

A separate session or promotional stand may be arranged with the company representative if deemed appropriate for the type of event being held.

Events

  • May be partly or wholly sponsored by a pharmaceutical company or companies
  • Proposals for events, including administrative and financial details, must be presented to the committee for approval
  • BOPA will have the final say over programme content and speakers
  • Companies may be requested to approach potential speakers if it is felt that they have appropriate contacts
  • Content of talks given by company-recommended speakers must be pre-approved by BOPA
  • No overtly promotional sessions will be included unless specifically requested by delegates
  • The sponsoring company is bound to abide by the ABPI Code of Practice and as such BOPA may request to see any materials produced in relation to the meeting for their individual approval procedures
  • BOPA will endeavour to hold events in venues where it is possible for companies to have promotional stands that can be easily viewed by delegates during lunch or coffee breaks; however, this may not always be possible
  • BOPA will encourage delegates to visit promotional stands at sponsored events

BOPA Executive Committee − 2019