AUTH/2641/9/13: Chief Pharmacist v Lundbeck — Cipralex promotional email (no breach) | PMCPA Case

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/2641/9/13
Complainant	Chief pharmacist
Company	Lundbeck Ltd
Product	Cipralex (escitalopram)
Material / activity	Promotional email sent via a database agency (ref UK/ESC/1305/0409a)
Main issue alleged	Promotion to trust prescribers despite Cipralex not being on the trust formulary; perceived circumvention of local medicines committee process
Clause(s) considered	Clause 9.1
Applicable Code year	2012
Complaint received	16 September 2013
Case completed	28 October 2013
Outcome	No breach
Appeal	No appeal

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

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A chief pharmacist complained about a promotional email for Cipralex (escitalopram) sent on behalf of Lundbeck (ref UK/ESC/1305/0409a).
The complainant said Cipralex was not on the trust formulary and that new medicines/licences had to be introduced via the medicines committee.
The complainant said multiple local prescribers received the email and described it as “blatant advertising”.
The complainant asked the database agency not to send further emails and instructed IT to route the emails to SPAM.
Lundbeck said the email was developed with a digital agency and distributed via an electronic marketing agency’s database of UK health professionals who had registered and agreed to receive promotional emails.
The email was sent in mid-September to psychiatrists registered on the database and related to the impending loss of patent on Cipralex and potential impact on prescribing costs.

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