§5A-3C-13 Advertising costs; reporting of same. - West Virginia Statutes

§5A-3C-13. Advertising costs; reporting of same.
(a) Advertising costs for prescription drugs, based on aggregate national data, must be reported to the state council by all manufacturers and labelers of prescription drugs dispensed in this state that employs, directs or utilizes marketing representatives. The reporting shall assist this state in its role as a purchaser of prescription drugs and an administrator of prescription drug programs, enabling this state to determine the scope of prescription drug advertising costs and their effect on the cost, utilization and delivery of health care services and furthering the role of this state as guardian of the public interest.

(b) The council shall establish, by legislative rule, the reporting requirements of information by labelers and manufacturers which shall include all national aggregate expenses associated with advertising and direct promotion of prescription drugs through radio, television, magazines, newspapers, direct mail and telephone communications as they pertain to residents of this state.

(c) The following shall be exempt from disclosure requirements:

(1) All free samples of prescription drugs intended to be distributed to patients;

(2) All payments of reasonable compensation and reimbursement of expenses in connection with a bona fide clinical trial. As used in this subdivision, "clinical trial" means an approved clinical trial conducted in connection with a research study designed to answer specific questions about vaccines, new therapies or new ways of using known treatments; or

(3) All scholarship or other support for medical students, residents and fellows to attend significant educational, scientific or policy-making conference of national, regional or specialty medical or other professional association if the recipient of the scholarship or other support is selected by the association.

(d) The council is further authorized to establish time lines, the documentation, form and manner of reporting required as the council determines necessary to effectuate the purpose of this article. The council shall report to the joint committee on government and finance, in an aggregate form, the information provided in the required reporting.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, information submitted to the council pursuant to this section is confidential and is not a public record and is not available for release pursuant to the West Virginia freedom of information act. Data compiled in aggregate form by the council for the purposes of reporting required by this section is a public record as defined in the West Virginia freedom of information act, as long as it does not reveal trade information that is protected by state or federal law.