Tillotts: “Corporate announcement” in BMJ ruled promotional for Dificlir—missing prescribing info and AE reporting

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/3509/5/21
Company	Tillotts Pharma UK Limited
Complainant	Anonymous
Material	BMJ advertisement (ref EO-00328, April 2021) framed as acquisition/corporate announcement
Medicine	Dificlir (fidaxomicin)
Indication referenced	Treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections (noted as adults and children with body weight ≥12.5 kg)
Main issue	Promotional content presented as corporate announcement; missing prescribing information and AE reporting statement
Applicable Code year	2019
Breach clauses	4.1, 4.9
Sanctions	Undertaking received; additional sanctions: Not stated
Complaint received	11 May 2021
Case completed	14 January 2022
Appeal	No appeal

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

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An anonymous complainant challenged a BMJ advertisement (ref EO-00328, April 2021) about Tillotts Pharma UK acquiring Dificlir (fidaxomicin) for Clostridioides difficile infections.
The complainant alleged it was promotion disguised as a corporate announcement and that required prescribing information and adverse event (AE) reporting information were missing.
Tillotts argued it was a factual, informative ownership-change announcement (not promotion) and therefore did not include prescribing information or an AE reporting statement; it said signatories reviewed it but it was not certified.
The Panel considered the content promotional: it named the medicine and indication, described the “significant addition” to the portfolio, and invited readers to contact medical information and visit a website/QR code to “learn more” and see support offered.
No prescribing information or AE reporting statement appeared in the advertisement.

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Breach of Clause 4.1 (prescribing information not provided for promotional material).
Breach of Clause 4.9 (no statement on how to report adverse events).
No appeal.

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