UCB breach: BMJ website ‘tile’ for Viridal omitted non-proprietary name and was not certified (AUTH/3225/7/19)

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/3225/7/19
Parties	Complainant v UCB Pharma Ltd
Issue	Lack of non-proprietary name; alleged lack of certification/unique identifier
Material	BMJ-hosted website promotional “tile” linking to promotional information
Medicine	Viridal (alprostadil)
Therapy area	Erectile dysfunction / men’s health
Complaint received	15 July 2019
Case completed	17 October 2019
Applicable Code year	2019
Breach clauses	Clause 4.3; Clause 14.1
Sanctions	Undertaking received; Additional sanctions: Not stated
Appeal	No appeal

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

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A UK health professional complained about a BMJ-hosted website ‘tile’ placed by UCB Pharma Ltd.
The tile showed the UCB corporate logo and the medicine brand name “Viridal”, with “MEN’S HEALTH” on the lower edge.
The tile linked to promotional information on Viridal (alprostadil), used to treat erectile dysfunction.
The complainant alleged the tile lacked the non-proprietary name and had no unique identifier/reference number, raising concern it had not been certified.
UCB investigated and said its third-party agency generated and placed the tile without submitting it to UCB for certification.

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Breach found: the non-proprietary name did not appear immediately adjacent to the brand name (Clause 4.3).
Breach found: the tile had not been certified (Clause 14.1).
UCB removed the tile and linked content and stated it would only re-launch once the revised page was formally certified.

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