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April 2014
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Faculty Policy on Product Endorsements

Question: A medical device company representative has asked me to write a case study using their specialty catheter product. The company wants a brief description of how we use the product, how well it works, and some images from a clinical case so they can include the information in their marketing material. We routinely use the product in our clinical practice and I think it's the best of its type on the market. It would take me very little time to write this up. The company has been very responsive to our service requests and I am talking to them about sponsoring my research, so I would like to be helpful. May I send them a case study?

Answer: Companies are understandably eager to leverage the Johns Hopkins name and to use our material and data for commercial purposes, but helping to promote their products is not consistent with Johns Hopkins Medicine's missions of research, education and medical care. Several JHM policies outline the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate relationships with industry. The use of name policy and guidelines do not allow individuals or the institution to endorse or promote companies or products. For example, faculty and staff may not be quoted in company marketing material or publicity. The faculty policy on professional commitment also prohibits activity that could imply or constitute endorsement or promotion of a commercial product, technology, service, or company. It's also important to note that clinical images and data are the property of Johns Hopkins and may not be transferred to a third party without appropriate institutional review and approval. Finally, there is a risk of transferring identifiable information about a patient, which could violate HIPAA regulations or Joint Commission and JHM policies.

You should tell the representative that you value your working relationship with the company and that you're very interested in discussing sponsored research, but that Johns Hopkins does not provide material or text for marketing purposes.

Relevant policies Branding and Use of Name Toolkit: http://brand.hopkinsmedicine.org/gui/content.asp; Policy on Disclosure and Professional Commitment: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/faculty/policies/facultypolicies/conflict_commitment.html; Sponsored projects handbook: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Research/ora/handbook/handbook_IVc.html and http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Research/ora/handbook/handbook_IVa.html#Project.

For more information: Office of Policy Coordination: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Research/OPC/index.html, policy@jhmi.edu; JHM Marketing and Communications, Request form for use of name: http://brand.hopkinsmedicine.org/gui/content.asp?w=pages&r=5&pid=175

 

 
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