AUTH/2124/5/08: Anonymous consultant rheumatologist v Roche – MabThera symposium (celebrity co-chair)

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/2124/5/08
Case reference	Anonymous v Roche
Complainant	An anonymous consultant rheumatologist
Respondent/company	Roche Products Limited
Product(s)	MabThera (rituximab)
Material/channel	Breakfast satellite symposium at BSR annual meeting; invitation (with thumbnail photograph), online registration site, save-the-date flyer, congress banner, speaker biographies, written brief
Key issue	Use of a television newsreader/celebrity as co-chair; alleged attraction of delegates via celebrity; alleged hospitality to an unqualified lay person; alleged promotion to the public; alleged failure to maintain high standards
Dates (received/completed if stated)	Complaint received 9 May 2008; case completed 29 May 2008
Appeal	Not stated
Code year	Not stated
Breaches/clauses	No breach of Clauses 19.1, 9.1, 20.1
Sanctions	No explicit additional sanctions stated beyond the required undertaking/corrective actions described in the report

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

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An anonymous consultant rheumatologist complained about a Roche-sponsored breakfast satellite symposium at the British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting in Liverpool on 23 April 2008.
The symposium was titled “Passport to RA [rheumatoid arthritis] Management” and lasted one and a half hours.
Approximately 100 health professionals attended.
A television newsreader co-chaired the symposium alongside a scientific/medical co-chair.
The complainant alleged the celebrity co-chair was a lay person not qualified to attend/co-chair and that offering hospitality (breakfast available from 6.30am) breached the meeting requirements.
The complainant alleged delegates were attracted by the celebrity (including use of a thumbnail photograph on the invitation) rather than educational content.
The complainant alleged that having a member of the public present meant MabThera (rituximab) was promoted to the general public.
Roche said the newsreader was contracted in a professional capacity to moderate, keep to time, facilitate debate and audience participation, and link questions to speakers.
The written brief for the newsreader included responsibilities (eg, keep a positive atmosphere, ensure the meeting ran to time, involve delegates) and included background information on MabThera.
Roche stated health professionals could learn about the symposium via a save-the-date flyer, invitation, congress banner, online registration site, and speaker biographies.

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The Panel ruled no breach of the Code.
The Panel considered the newsreader, although not a health professional, qualified as a participant in her own right because she was employed to deliver a professional service (co-chairing).
The Panel considered it was not inappropriate for the newsreader to receive hospitality, provided it met Code requirements.
The Panel considered delegates had not been attracted to the meeting on the basis of there being a celebrity co-chair.
The Panel did not consider that Roche promoted MabThera to the general public in the circumstances, as the meeting was aimed at and attended by health professionals.
The Panel did not consider the arrangements unreasonable and did not find a failure to maintain high standards.

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