Compliance – Corporate Integrity & Ethical Standards
Guidelines and Code of Conduct
The code of conduct developed by the Medical Quality Laboratory Association (Ärztliches Qualitätslabor e.V. (ÄQL)) in conjunction with the ALM and BDL promotes compliance with currently valid legislation in accordance with the current statutory provisions. Medical and social law, competition policy and penal laws are taken into account. The code of conduct considers collaboration between laboratories and medical practices, departments, hospitals, or other medical facilities. The code of conduct focuses on the prohibition of gratuities between the parties concerned. It should be ensured that decisions regarding the awarding of orders for investigation are not influenced by inappropriate matters. The code of conduct was first issued by the Federal Cartel Office in 2012, and the current version is still applicable as a practical guideline for laboratory managers, sales representatives and other parties.
Code of Conduct
The members of the ÄQL e.V. see it as their responsibility to impart the knowledge required by industry professionals, and particularly individuals who award laboratory orders (senders), in order for them to make an informed selection from the investigational contents and investigation methods that must be borne in mind. This is accomplished by providing scientific information regarding both current and future options for obtaining diagnostic findings under development. With the objective of diligently ensuring integrity and ethically justifiable behaviour, and of substantiating the trust of market participants and the public in practices affiliated with the medical quality laboratories, the members of the ÄQL e.V. have agreed on the following code of conduct as a compliance guideline for medical laboratories.
