AUTH/1932/12/06: Anonymous v Novo Nordisk — diabetes helpline staffed by NHS clinic nurses (No breach) | PMCPA Case

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/1932/12/06
Complainant	Anonymous (“concerned citizen”)
Company	Novo Nordisk Limited
Issue	Employment of diabetes specialist nurses (who also worked in NHS clinics) to staff an out-of-hours diabetes helpline for patients using Novo Nordisk products
Clauses considered	Clause 2; Clause 9.1
Decision	No breach
Complaint received	12 December 2006
Case completed	11 January 2007
Applicable Code year	2006
Appeal	No appeal
Sanctions	None

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

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An anonymous complainant alleged it was unethical for Novo Nordisk to staff an out-of-hours diabetes helpline with diabetes specialist nurses who also worked in diabetes clinics during the week.
The helpline provided emergency advice outside surgery hours and at weekends, and was intended for patients using Novo Nordisk diabetes products.
The complainant alleged Novo Nordisk was pressurising nurses to prescribe its products by paying them for helpline shifts (an additional income source).
Novo Nordisk explained the helpline was established (Nov 2001) to address limited out-of-hours support for diabetics and provided only short-term emergency advice until the next working day.
Novo Nordisk stated nurses were selected for experience (at least three years as a diabetes specialist nurse), required current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) membership and indemnity cover, and advice was recorded and reviewed.
The helpline operated under principles including not undermining the patient’s relationship with their health professional, not changing prescriptions, not advertising the helpline to patients, and never suggesting a caller change products.
In April 2004, a “registered centre scheme” was created so hospitals could receive feedback forms recording advice given (82 registered centres).

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No breach of the Code was found.
The Panel did not consider it necessarily unacceptable to employ nurses who also worked in diabetic clinics to answer emergency calls.
The Panel did not consider it necessarily unacceptable for the helpline to provide emergency support only to patients using Novo Nordisk products.

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