AUTH/1896/10/06: Anonymous v Lilly — Alleged inappropriate hospitality (No breach) | PMCPA Case

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/1896/10/06
Parties	Anonymous v Eli Lilly and Company Limited
Issue	Alleged inappropriate hospitality linked to sponsored meeting (including evening music/cultural programme)
Meeting	“Peace, Social Integration and Psychiatry”, Marriott Hotel, Heathrow, 9 September 2006
Hosts/organisers	BIPA, BPPA, SLPA-UK, BAPA; jointly hosted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Timing	Scientific meeting 10:00–16:45; AGMs until 17:45; final agenda referenced “Conference Reception, Dinner & Music Programme”
Sponsorship type	Unrestricted educational grant (as stated on agenda)
Sponsorship amount	£31,325
What Lilly paid for (per case)	Daily delegate rate, lunch, AV/room hire/logistics, plus contribution to delegate registration fees (including £10,500 contribution noted)
Attendees	Based on 350 psychiatrists/health professionals (previous meeting attended by 446)
Clauses considered	Clauses 2, 9.1, 19.1
Decision	No breach
Complaint received	9 October 2006
Case completed	28 November 2006
Appeal	No appeal

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

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An anonymous complainant alleged that meetings of national associations for Asian psychiatrists were social gatherings rather than recognised academic meetings, with pharma-funded travel, hotels, food and cultural programmes.
Focus was a conference at the Marriott Hotel, Heathrow (9 September 2006) combining four associations (BIPA, BPPA, SLPA-UK, BAPA), jointly hosted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, with an evening “music/cultural programme”.
Lilly sponsored the meeting via an unrestricted educational grant, covering day delegate rate, lunch, AV/room hire/logistics and a contribution to delegate registration fees for 350 health professionals (total £31,325).
Lilly said it sponsored only the daytime scientific programme and lunch; it had no knowledge of the evening music/cultural programme and no Lilly employees attended.
The Panel noted the final agenda referenced “Conference Reception, Dinner & Music Programme” and that Lilly had not insisted on seeing the final programme; the final programme differed from the provisional agenda (including a symposium shown on the draft agenda not appearing on the final programme).
The Panel was concerned Lilly did not know what its contribution to registration fees covered and did not know all arrangements (including that there did not appear to be any educational programme on the Sunday).

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No breach of the Code was ruled.
On balance, the Panel considered Lilly’s sponsorship (as described on the draft agenda) was not unacceptable.
Although the Panel queried whether the evening reception/dinner/entertainment were appropriate to sponsor, there was no evidence Lilly’s payments subsidised the reception, dinner and music programme.

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