New Sunshine Act Tool Tracks Trade Show Giveaways

Exhibit software company Interatica wants to shed light on the Sunshine Act.

Beginning Aug. 1, 2013, manufacturers of drugs, devices, biological products and medical supplies will have to collect information regarding payments, ownership, investment interests and other transfers of value to physicians as part of the Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests section of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the “Sunshine Act.” They must submit that information to the federal government every year beginning March 31, 2014.

To assist pharmaceutical and medical device companies with these new requirements, Interatica has introduced a new iPad app for use at medical congresses and conventions. Called Sunshine Reporter, it lets trade show exhibitors scan booth visitors’ badges in order to instantly record data about booth giveaways.

Specifically, Sunshine Reporter collects attendees’ state license, NPI or DEA numbers, then presents a thumbnail menu of giveaway items; once the exhibitor chooses the appropriate giveaway, the app immediately stores and saves the data on the user’s iPad until it can be uploaded to Interatica’s servers for final delivery to the exhibitor.

“The new Sunshine Act requires by Aug. 1 that all manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics, or medical supplies collect and report payments and other transfers of value to physicians — including giveaways at medical congresses,” Interatica Senior Creative Manager Steven Organ said in a statement. “Sunshine Reporter offers a portable, simple and intuitive solution for this very important data to be collected and provided after each show.”