Assessed Healthcare Venue certificate for the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre

Strict rules apply to pharmaceutical companies which organise, sponsor or take part in medical conferences, where the costs need to be published in the Healthcare Transparency Register. The Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre, which will open its doors in September 2020, has had an audit carried out to show that it satisfies the requirements regarding the hosting of medical conferences. As a result, it has been awarded the “Assessed Healthcare Venue” certificate. The certificate was awarded at M&I Forums in Helsinki.

Healthcare Compliance Code

Certified Healthcare Venues satisfy the Healthcare Compliance Code. The Healthcare Compliance Code includes regulations intended to oversee the relationship between healthcare companies, biosciences and healthcare professionals. It is important that decisions are not influenced by commercial interests.

Rules and Regulations

Specific regulations apply to advertising medicinal products in the European medical sector. In addition to the Code of Conduct for the Advertising of Medicinal Products and information regarding prescription medicines, the regulations also apply to payments by pharmaceutical companies which might encourage the prescription, delivery or use of a medicinal product. The advertising regulations also have an impact on the organisation of scientific conferences and courses for doctors and other healthcare professionals which are financed or organised by pharmaceutical companies. This certificate demonstrates that the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre supports the policy and agreements regarding specific requirements for organising meetings for the medical sector.

Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre

The Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre will open its doors to visitors in September 2020. The official opening will be held in January 2021, when Rotterdam Ahoy celebrates its 50th anniversary. The expansion consists of an auditorium containing 2,800 fixed seats - extendable to 4,000 seats - making it the largest auditorium in the Netherlands. The auditorium has 3 balconies which can be sealed off if a smaller conference setting is required. 35 additional breakout rooms, which can be used individually or collectively, are located on the second and third floors. Conferences for 50 people or more can be organised here. There will also be a completely new entrance building which will provide access to the Ahoy Plaza, the RTM Stage, the Exhibition & Events Halls, the Ahoy Arena and all the new breakout rooms.