Sanofi Lyxumia “Speaker Club” invite: unclear email created impression of £1,000 for attending a promotional meeting (AUTH/2637/9/13)

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/2637/9/13
Complainant	Consultant physician
Company	Sanofi
Product / context	Lyxumia (lixisenatide) Speaker Club training
Issue	Email invitation referenced £1,000 and could be read as payment for attending a promotional meeting
Complaint received	10 September 2013
Case completed	13 November 2013
Applicable Code year	2012
Breach clauses	9.1
No breach clauses	2, 18.1, 20.1
Sanctions	Undertaking received; Additional sanctions: Not stated
Appeal	No appeal

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

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A consultant physician complained about an email invitation from Sanofi to attend a “Lyxumia Speaker Club”.
The email offered an opportunity to discuss key Lyxumia data with a lead investigator, followed by an afternoon of professional development (eg conflict management, critical appraisal, health economics, media training, business cases).
The email stated Sanofi could offer to pay £1,000 for attending, describing it as preparation for future Lyxumia talks at meetings organised by the local sales team; payment would be made in two equal amounts at the first two talks delivered (along with honoraria).
The complainant said they had never planned to speak about Lyxumia and had not requested training, alleging the activity was a thinly-veiled attempt to pay for attendance with a marketing purpose.
Sanofi said the programme was intended to train potential speakers to present Lyxumia data appropriately; no one was paid merely to attend—payment was only made after delivery of the first two speaking engagements, and was calculated using a fee grid for time spent in the Lyxumia data session.
The Panel reviewed the agenda (9.45am–4.30pm): morning Lyxumia slide kit/data workshop and Q&A; afternoon professional development workshops.

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Breach: Clause 9.1 (high standards) – the invitation was not sufficiently clear and could be read as offering £1,000 for attending a promotional meeting.
No breach: Clause 18.1 – on the narrow ground alleged, the payment was a fee for service and not offered/promised in connection with promotion as alleged.
No breach: Clause 20.1 – on the narrow ground alleged, the consultant arrangements were not considered an inducement to prescribe/supply/etc.
No breach: Clause 2 – Panel did not consider the circumstances warranted this particular censure.
No appeal.

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