Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/15155-gifts-to-medical-staff-from-pharmaceutical-companies on November 04, 2025 19:01

Gifts to medical staff from pharmaceutical companies

N Vaughan made this Official Information request to Canterbury District Health Board

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From: N Vaughan

Dear Canterbury District Health Board,

I am a law student and am writing a research paper on gifts given by pharmaceutical companies to medical staff.

I am therefore requesting the following information under the Official Information Act (OIA):

1. Do you keep a central gift register, which records details about what gifts medical staff receive, who they are from, and the gift's value? If not, why not?

2. How many staff in your DHB have accepted gifts (of any form) from pharmaceutical companies? Information from the past 2-year period is preferred, including what these gifts were, and their monetary value.

3. Is there any policy in place that prevents medical staff from accepting some gifts from pharmaceutical companies? If so, please send a copy of this policy.

In relation to disclosure of these gifts (from pharmaceutical companies):

4. When must medical staff disclose these gifts to the hospital or DHB? If there is a related policy, please send a copy.

5. Are medical staff required to disclose these gifts to their patients? If there is a related policy, please send a copy.

If you need any more information from me please let me know as soon as possible.

I understand that a decision on a request for information under the OIA should be made within 20 working days of receiving that request.

Ngā mihi nui

N Vaughan

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From: Communications
Canterbury District Health Board

Thank you for your email to Canterbury DHB general enquiries email inbox.

This inbox is monitored Monday to Friday from 8:30am - 5:00pm.

 

If you’re a member of the general public looking for urgent health advice
you can:

·    Call 111 if it’s a medical emergency

·    Call your GP team 24/7 for free health advice from a health
professional  

·    Call or text 1737 for free to talk to a counsellor if you’re feeling
anxious or depressed

·    Visit “[1]I’m not well, where do I go” for information on urgent
medical, dental and mental health services in Canterbury.

 

If you need to update your contact details please use [2]this form.

If you have a general enquiry this will be responded to when the office
reopens.

 

 

 

Ngâ mihi

Canterbury DHB Communications team

 

 

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From: Kathleen Smitheram
Canterbury District Health Board

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Dear N Vaughan

 

Both the Canterbury DHB and the West Coast DHB responded to an extensive
request at the end of last year (as did all the DHBs) related to: 

Sensitive expenditure: Gifts, Koha, Tips/gratuity,
Hospitality/entertainment, Alcohol, Air travel / domestic and
international, Accommodation / international and domestic, Taxis/corporate
vehicles, Rental cars, Moving expenses, Parking/traffic offences,
Christmas functions, Social clubs. (Including policies).

 

I believe that the information included in these responses answers your
questions below for the most part.  If, however, having viewed the
responses to CDHB 10467 and WCDHB 9487 you wish submit a refined Official
Information Act request,  we will be happy to action it for you.  These
responses can be found on our websites:

 

CDHB - 10467

[1]https://www.cdhb.health.nz/about-us/docu...

 

WCDHB - 9487

[2]https://www.wcdhb.health.nz/about-us/doc...

 

Kind regards

 

Kathleen Smitheram

 

Canterbury District Health Board and West Coast District Health Board

Official Information Act Co-ordinator, Planning and Funding

Level 2, 32 Oxford Terrace

PO Box 1600

Christchurch 8140

(DDI (03) 364 4134| 6: 03 364 4165 | *[email address];

[3]cid:image006.jpg@01CF6ACE.1745A080       
[4]WCDHB-Logo-blue-text-588x226

      [5]www.cdhb.health.nz                             
[6]www.westcoastdhb.org.nz

 

Values – A matou uara

Care and respect for others - Manaaki me te kotua I etahi

Integrity in all we do - Hapai i a matou mahi katoa i ruka i te pono    

Responsibility for outcomes - Kaiwhakarite i ka hua

 

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Canterbury District Health Board only: