PMCPA Case Library

AUTH/3836/10/23 GlaxoSmithKline Clause 5.1 Clause 6.1

GSK breached ABPI Code over Zejula AE management webpage that omitted discontinuation scenarios

PMCPA ruled GSK’s Zejula “PRIMA AE management” webpage misleading for implying AEs could be managed by dose interruption/modification without highlighting…

AUTH/3790/7/23 Moderna ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/3790/7/23: Ex-employee v Moderna (preprint data in presentations) — No breach

Anonymous ex-employee alleged Moderna misused preprint vaccine effectiveness data, cherry-picked graphs and sought UK contract advantage via JCVI presentations. Panel…

AUTH/3854/11/23 GlaxoSmithKline Clause 11.2 Clause 26.1 Clause 5.1

GSK: LinkedIn ‘celebrate’ of third‑party niraparib trial post ruled off‑label promotion to the public (AUTH/3854/11/23)

A UK-based GSK Global employee ‘celebrated’ a third-party LinkedIn post about promising niraparib results in glioblastoma. PMCPA found promotion to…

AUTH/3864/12/23 Celltrion Healthcare UK Clause 17.2 Clause 18.2

Celltrion: representative’s unsubstantiated “cost neutral” NICE/TAG justification and failure to provide substantiation for Remsima SC

A pharmacist complained about a rep’s claim that NICE said infliximab SC fell under infliximab IV TAG due to cost…

2024

AUTH/3901/5/24 GlaxoSmithKline

AUTH/3901/5/24: Complainant v GSK — Jemperli HCP website (mobile vs desktop certification and “manageable safety profile” claim) — No breach

Complaint alleged Jemperli HCP webpages weren’t properly certified for mobile due to layout/navigation differences and that a “manageable safety profile”…

2024

AUTH/3922/6/24 GlaxoSmithKline

AUTH/3922/6/24: Complainant v GSK — Trelegy banner alleged off-label switch claim (No breach)

Complaint alleged a Trelegy Ellipta rotating banner promoted an unlicensed switch from three inhalers (incl. SABA). PMCPA Panel found no…

AUTH/2078/1/08 Pfizer Clause 1.2 Clause 4.1

Pfizer letter requesting addition of Ecalta and Celsentri to hospital e-prescribing system ruled promotional without prescribing information

A hospital pharmacist complained about a Pfizer-authorised letter asking hospitals to add Ecalta and Celsentri to electronic prescribing/dispensing systems. The…

AUTH/2106/3/08 Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals

Trinity-Chiesi letter promoting Clenil: omission of 200mcg cost comparison not misleading in Scottish context

A PCT pharmacist alleged a Clenil cost-comparison chart was misleading because it omitted 200mcg data. The Panel found the Scottish…

AUTH/2156/8/08 Sanofi Clause 9.1

AUTH/2156/8/08: GlaxoSmithKline v Sanofi Pasteur MSD – Gardasil letter to health professionals

A letter about the UK HPV vaccine tender was ruled promotional for Gardasil, lacked prescribing information and adverse event reporting…

AUTH/2141/7/08 Sanofi Clause 1 Clause 2 Clause 24 ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/2141/7/08: Novo Nordisk v Sanofi-Aventis – Promotion of Lantus (24-hour efficacy and hypoglycaemia claims)

Complaint about Lantus promotional leavepieces and a mailer. Issues included “24-hour efficacy” wording and comparative hypoglycaemia claims based on pooled…

AUTH/2130/6/08 Pfizer Clause 4.1

Pfizer Toviaz journal advertisement: prescribing information missing for promoted tolterodine (Detrusitol)

A GP complained that a Toviaz ad also promoted tolterodine without prescribing information. The Panel ruled a breach for missing…

AUTH/2213/3/09 Boehringer Ingelheim Clause 12.1 Clause 2

Anonymous doctor v Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim: sponsored journal supplement found to be disguised promotion

A journal-lookalike supplement reporting a company-run symposium was presented as a sponsored independent forum report. The Panel ruled it was…

AUTH/2203/1/09 Pfizer

Pfizer Champix ad: superiority claim vs NRT ruled misleading due to lack of study context (AUTH/2203/1/09)

A Champix journal ad claimed significantly greater quit success vs NiQuitin patch. PMCPA ruled the claim misleading because the ad…

2019

AUTH/3180/4/19 AstraZeneca Clause 1 Clause 2

AstraZeneca sales manager’s personal Instagram post about KOL nurse ruled in scope and unethical; conflict of interest not declared (AUTH/3180/4/19)

A respiratory nurse complained about a sales manager’s personal Facebook/Instagram posts referencing a nurse KOL. Panel found one Instagram post…

AUTH/2176/10/08 Schering-Plough ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/2176/10/08: Nurse v Schering-Plough — alleged confidentiality breach in NHS infusion service programme (No breach)

A nurse alleged she was suspended for refusing to share confidential unit/customer data from an infusion service facilitation programme. The…

AUTH/2167/9/08 Pfizer Clause 7.10 Clause 7.2 Clause 7.3

AUTH/2167/9/08: Astellas v Pfizer — Toviaz promotion, post hoc superiority claim and “new step” messaging

Pfizer’s Toviaz ad claimed superiority vs tolterodine based on post hoc analysis and used “a new step” wording. PMCPA ruled…

AUTH/2251/7/09 Cephalon

AUTH/2251/7/09: Health professional v Cephalon (Effentora) – alleged off-label promotion (sublingual use) – No breach

A health professional alleged Cephalon reps promoted sublingual Effentora (off-licence). Panel found insufficient evidence on balance of probabilities; no breach…

AUTH/2230/5/09 AstraZeneca

AUTH/2230/5/09: Anonymous v AstraZeneca — alleged conflict of interest/inducement via rep’s private supplies business (No breach)

Anonymous GP alleged an AstraZeneca rep offered savings via his private consumables company, creating a perceived inducement/conflict. Panel had concerns…

AUTH/2283/12/09 Lundbeck Clause 4.7

AUTH/2283/12/09: Lundbeck breached Clause 4.7 over prescribing information location statement size/placement in Cipralex ad

A Cipralex (escitalopram) journal ad said “For references and prescribing information, see overleaf” in text smaller than the Code’s 2mm…

AUTH/2289/12/09 Alcon Laboratories ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/2289/12/09: Merck Sharp & Dohme v Alcon — Azarga “comfort” leavepiece and over-emphasis claims

Alcon’s Azarga leavepiece repeatedly used “comfort/comfortable”. Appeal Board allowed the comparative “Significantly more comfortable than Cosopt” claim (with data), but…