AUTH/3105/10/18: Pharmacy team leader v Eli Lilly — compassionate supply of Olumiant (No breach) | PMCPA Case

📊

Key facts

⌄

Case number	AUTH/3105/10/18
Complainant	Pharmacy team leader (hospital pharmacist)
Company	Eli Lilly and Company Limited
Medicine	Olumiant (baricitinib) 4mg tablets
Issue	Alleged failure to follow hospital governance/procurement procedures for compassionate supply; alleged bypass of hospital pharmacy; concern about pre-screening checks
Applicable Code year	2016
Clauses considered	Clause 2; Clause 9.1; Clause 15.4
Decision	No breach of Clause 15.4, Clause 9.1, or Clause 2
Complaint received	08 October 2018
Case completed	25 February 2019
Appeal	No appeal
Sanctions	None stated

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

🤖

Got a question about this case?

Ask one of our 13 specialist ABPI advisors — instant answers, 24/7.

Ask AskAnzal AI

🎬 Expert Video Walkthrough

🎬

Video walkthrough — coming for members

Subscribe now and get expert video analysis for every case as we publish them.

Subscribe — from £299/yr

📋

⌄

A hospital pharmacy team leader complained about a compassionate (free of charge) supply of Olumiant (baricitinib) 4mg tablets requested by a named consultant rheumatologist for a complex patient whose funding request had been rejected.
The complainant alleged Lilly did not confirm the hospital pharmacy was aware of the request and therefore did not follow the trust’s governance for procurement of medicines.
The complainant alleged it was suggested the medicine could be dispensed via a local community pharmacy, potentially bypassing the specialist hospital pharmacy team.
The complainant raised concerns that the patient had not completed essential pre-screening checks before Lilly agreed supply.
Lilly stated the request was unsolicited from the consultant, that the patient was undergoing pre-treatment biologic screening per the SPC, and that it only dispatched product after the hospital pharmacy purchasing route was followed (purchase order raised by the hospital pharmacy/purchasing service).
Timeline highlights (2018): request discussed (30 Jul), details clarified (16–22 Aug), supply approved (31 Aug), consultant informed and screening noted (10 Sep), hospital pharmacy requested to dispense (11 Sep), Lilly spoke to complainant/pharmacy and obtained PO (12–13 Sep), product delivered to hospital pharmacy (14 Sep).

⚖️

⌄

No breach of Clause 15.4.
No breach of Clause 9.1.
No breach of Clause 2.
The Panel noted the complainant did not respond to requests for comments on Lilly’s response.

🔒

Members get the complete breakdown — Clauses, Sanction, Signatory Lens, Audit checklist, and 3 Key Questions.

Best value

£249/year

Annual — save £99

£29/mo

Monthly

Join Now — Instant Access