AUTH/1825/4/06: ProStrakan v Shire – Calcichew-D3 Forte ‘preferred by 80%’ claim ruled misleading | PMCPA Case

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/1825/4/06
Complainant	ProStrakan Group Plc
Respondent	Shire Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Product	Calcichew-D3 Forte
Material	Journal advertisement (Pulse, 2 March 2006), ref 003/0419a
Main claim	“Chew Calcichew-D3 Forte for Ten Seconds for a pleasant surprise. In a comparative study, Calcichew-D3 Forte was preferred over Adcal-D3 by 80% of patients”
Evidence cited	Rees and Howe (2001)
Key study details	Randomised, investigator-blind, crossover, multicentre; 102 patients ≥60; 7 days on each product; VAS palatability measures; preference question at end
Panel’s core concern	Ad implied “pleasant”/better taste; study showed no taste difference and preference likely driven by other attributes; insufficient detail on what was preferred; overall misleading comparison
Breach clauses	7.2 and 7.3
Sanction	Undertaking received
Complaint received	06 April 2006 (HTML) / 07 April 2006 (PDF)
Case completed	04 June 2006 (HTML) / 05 June 2006 (PDF)
Appeal	No appeal
Applicable Code year	2006

Reviewed by Dr Anzal Qurbain (FFPM) — ABPI Final Signatory

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ProStrakan complained about a Shire journal advertisement for Calcichew-D3 Forte (ref 003/0419a) published in Pulse, 2 March 2006.
The ad stated: “Chew Calcichew-D3 Forte for Ten Seconds for a pleasant surprise. In a comparative study, Calcichew-D3 Forte was preferred over Adcal-D3 by 80% of patients”, referenced to Rees and Howe (2001).
The cited study was a randomised, investigator-blind, crossover, multicentre study with 102 patients aged ≥60 years, with 7 days on each product; preference/palatability was assessed using visual analogue scales and a preference question at the end.
Key contextual points included: no difference between products on “taste” in the study; preference likely influenced by other attributes (grittiness, chalkiness, ease of chewing/swallowing, stickiness); 64% of recruited patients were already established on Calcichew-D3 Forte; and the ad’s imagery/wording suggested “pleasant” taste.
Shire said it had agreed (31 March 2006) to withdraw the advertisement as soon as feasible and to remove the terms “Ten Second Trial” and “Surprisingly Good” from future materials, but defended use of the 80% preference statement.

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