Amgen is committed to maintaining collaborative relationships with healthcare professionals where appropriate in order to develop new products; determine appropriate and beneficial uses for products; support medical research and other educational, scientific and charitable activities; provide health care professionals and the public with information regarding the benefits and risks of Amgen’s products; and obtain feedback and advice about Amgen products from medical experts.  Amgen requires that all interactions with healthcare professionals and other customers comply with applicable laws and industry guidance.

A number of US federal and state laws, including the US federal health care program anti-kickback law, as well as EU-wide and member state laws, impose restrictions on economic benefits given by pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers to healthcare professionals.  Specifically, US federal health care program anti-kickback law prohibits the offer, payment, solicitation or acceptance of any remuneration in return for, or in order to induce, the ordering, purchasing or recommending of any item or service reimbursable by a US federal health care program, including Medicare and Medicaid.  Penalties for violation of these laws can include imprisonment, criminal and civil fines, and exclusion from federal health care programs.  Numerous government agencies, including the US Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (“OIG”), as well as industry associations such as the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (“PhRMA”) and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), have provided guidance regarding the scope of both the legal and ethical restrictions applicable to Manufacturers’ relationships with healthcare professional and other customers. 

Amgen has established mandatory standards that all staff members, consultants, contract workers, and temporary staff must follow when interacting with healthcare professionals and other customers, in accordance with local, national and other applicable laws and regulations and industry guidance.  Individuals are instructed to refer to the policies and standards in effect at their location and to request guidance from their supervisor, the compliance representative with responsibility for their geographic area, the EU Director of Compliance, or the Chief Compliance Officer as appropriate.