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

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/2230/5/09
Parties	Anonymous complainant v AstraZeneca
Issue	Alleged conflict of interest / perceived inducement: representative allegedly promoted savings via his private consumables supplies company to a practice manager
Complaint received	12 May 2009
Case completed	9 June 2009
Applicable Code year	2008
Clauses considered	2, 9.1, 15.2 and 18.1
Decision	No breach of Clauses 9.1, 15.2, 18.1 and consequently no breach of Clause 2
Appeal	No appeal
Panel observations	Concern about impression/perceived conflict where a representative has personal business interests involving health professionals; difficult to maintain two different professional relationships without perceived conflict

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

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An anonymous, uncontactable complainant (described as a local GP) alleged an AstraZeneca representative told a practice manager the surgery could make “a great saving” by ordering consumable/disposable products from the representative’s own private company.
The complainant was concerned this could be connected to the surgery’s use of AstraZeneca medicines and that a local health board might question the surgery’s impartiality.
The complainant alleged a “real conflict of interest” affecting his surgery and others; the complaint was copied to the local health board.
AstraZeneca said the complainant provided no dates, locations or names to enable investigation; it re-interviewed the representative.
AstraZeneca stated the representative part-owned a consumables supplies company (mainly non-medical customers), had supplied only two healthcare practices on comparable terms, and denied discussing discounts with a practice manager or initiating conversations about his company during AstraZeneca work.
AstraZeneca said no unusual discounts were given to health practices and no discounts were offered in return for prescribing AstraZeneca products; the representative redirected any queries to his business partner and had declared conflicts internally.

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No breach of the Code was ruled.
No breach of Clauses 9.1, 15.2, 18.1 and consequently no breach of Clause 2.
The Panel nevertheless expressed concern about the impression/perception created where a representative has personal business interests involving health professionals.

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