Montana Code 37-2-102. Practices declared unlawful between drug companies and medical practitioners — exception
37-2-102. Practices declared unlawful between drug companies and medical practitioners — exception. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), it is unlawful:
Terms Used In Montana Code 37-2-102
- Drug: has the meaning provided in 37-7-101. See Montana Code 37-2-101
- Drug company: means any person engaged in the manufacturing, processing, packaging, or distribution of drugs. See Montana Code 37-2-101
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Knowingly: means only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See Montana Code 1-1-204
- Medical practitioner: means any person licensed by the state of Montana to engage in:
(a)the practice of medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, podiatry, or optometry;
(b)the practice of pharmacy and authorized to:
(i)prescribe immunizations pursuant to 37-7-105; or
(ii)prescribe drugs pursuant to 37-7-106 or in accordance with a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement; or
(c)a nursing specialty as described in 37-8-202 and in the licensed practice to administer or prescribe drugs. See Montana Code 37-2-101
- Pharmacy: has the meaning provided in 37-7-101. See Montana Code 37-2-101
(a)for a drug company to give or sell to a medical practitioner any legal or beneficial interest in the company or in the income of the company with the intent or for the purpose of inducing the medical practitioner to prescribe to patients the drugs of the company. The giving or selling of an interest by the company to a medical practitioner without the interest first having been publicly offered to the general public is prima facie evidence of the intent or purpose.
(b)for a medical practitioner to acquire or own a legal or beneficial interest in any drug company, provided it is not unlawful for a medical practitioner to acquire or own an interest solely for investment, and the acquisition of an interest that is publicly offered to the general public is prima facie evidence of its acquisition solely for investment; or
(c)for a medical practitioner to solicit or to knowingly receive from a drug company or for a drug company to pay or to promise to pay to a medical practitioner any rebate, refund, discount, commission, or other valuable consideration for, on account of, or based upon the volume of wholesale or retail sales, at any place, of drugs manufactured, processed, packaged, or distributed by the company.
(2)Subsection (1)(c) does not prohibit a pharmacy licensed under Title 37, chapter 7, from undertaking activities allowed under Title 37, chapter 7.