Hospira: UK pharmacists flown to Croatia for “advisory board” and manufacturing site tour—meeting ruled promotional and hospitality/venue inappropriate (AUTH/2820/2/16)

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/2820/2/16
Parties	Media/PMCPA Director v Hospira
Issue	Arrangements for an overseas meeting (manufacturing site visit + advisory board) for UK health professionals
Trigger	Daily Telegraph article (17 February 2016) alleging trips abroad/top hotels; Hospira named
Complaint received	17 February 2016
Case completed	5 July 2016
Applicable Code year	2016 (clauses referenced from 2015 Code; 2016 Constitution and Procedure applied)
Location	Zagreb, Croatia
Attendees	Five UK pharmacists (two from the same NHS trust); three Hospira staff; one communications agency employee
Honoraria	None paid
Hospitality cost	Average total hospitality approx £449.40 per person plus economy airfares; dinners £24.14 and £37.18 per head
Educational content (Panel view)	Approx 7 hours total (including approx 3.5 hours advisory board); site visit day contained approx 3.5 hours educational content
Breach clauses	2; 9.1; 18.1; 22.1; 23.1
No breach clauses	22.2
Sanctions	Undertaking received; Advertisement
Appeal	No appeal

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

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A Daily Telegraph article (17 Feb 2016) criticised pharma payments/trips for senior NHS staff and named Hospira for a meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, described as a five-star hotel with spa and casino.
The PMCPA took the matter up as a complaint under the Code (Media/PMCPA Director v Hospira).
Hospira said the trip combined (1) a manufacturing site visit to its Zagreb biologics facility and (2) an advisory board about biosimilars (including Inflectra).
Delegates were five UK pharmacists (two from the same NHS trust). Three Hospira staff and one communications agency employee attended.
Hospira initially invited 17 HCPs aiming for 10–12 attendees; ultimately 5 attended. No honoraria/fees were paid; travel, accommodation and meals were covered (via an agency, reimbursed by Hospira).
The invitation and materials emphasised the “Zagreb Manufacturing Site Tour” more than the advisory board; expenses forms were titled as a site visit.
No written contracts were put in place for the advisory board due to an internal misunderstanding (Hospira accepted this was non-compliant).
The meeting and materials were approved/certified at European level, but the majority were not reassessed and certified under the UK Code; the UK team selected the hotel without UK-specific acceptability assessment.

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The Panel ruled the arrangements were not a genuine advisory board and breached Clause 23.1.
The Panel considered Hospira had effectively organised an overseas promotional meeting for UK health professionals and ruled breaches of Clauses 18.1 and 22.1.
The Panel ruled the overall arrangements failed to maintain high standards (Clause 9.1) and brought discredit upon/reduced confidence in the industry (Clause 2).
No breach was ruled for Clause 22.2 (meal costs were within Croatian limits).
No appeal.

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