Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim has become the first pharma company to be awarded The Information Standard (TIS) certification for the healthcare information it provides to patients, their families and carers.
The certification, which covers materials published in England, serves as a 'kite mark' for the standard of information provided by companies and organisations, acknowledging the content has undergone rigorous assessment by an independent authority.
Commissioned by NHS England and run by Capita, the TIS is intended to help people identify what health and care information is clear, accurate, balanced, evidence-based and up-to-date among the sea of content they have access to.
Wow! This sound pretty impressive. But if you read on, you will learn that (1) companies have to apply for the TIS certification, and (2) it could be that no other pharma company bothered to apply.
Nevertheless, applying for the TIS requires some work to make sure the information is up to snuff. So, Boehringer has to be commended for that.
"The Information Standard is a certification programme for all organisationsproducing evidence-based health and care information for the public. Anyorganisation achieving The Information Standard has undergone a rigorous assessment to check that the information they produce is clear, accurate, balanced, evidence-based and up-to-date. " To learn more about TIS, click here.