Novo Nordisk breached Clause 5.1 after listing an 0845 number for side-effect reporting on Saxenda patient website without call-cost information (AUTH/3545/7/21)

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/3545/7/21
Company	Novo Nordisk
Complainant	Concerned UK health professional
Product / context	Saxenda (liraglutide) patient website
Issue	Use of an 0845 business-rate number for side-effect reporting on a patient webpage without written call-cost information
Applicable Code	2021
Complaint received	22 July 2021
Case completed	8 September 2021
Breach clauses	Clause 5.1
No breach clauses	Clause 6.1
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 that the Saxenda (liraglutide) patient website (www.saxenda.co.uk) listed an 0845 telephone number under “Reporting of side effects” for reporting adverse events to Novo Nordisk.
The complainant referenced a prior PMCPA case (AUTH/3281/11/19) about business-rate numbers being used for medical information enquiries without making call costs clear.
The Saxenda webpage text included: “Adverse events should also be reported to Novo Nordisk Limited (Telephone Novo Nordisk Customer Care Centre 0845 6005055).”
Novo Nordisk said 0845 was a business/service-rate number (not a premium-rate number) and that it offered multiple contact routes including a freephone number.
Novo Nordisk stated that callers to the 0845 number heard a recorded message explaining the call would be charged at the caller’s network access charge and offering an alternative freephone number (0800 0232573).
The Panel considered that many people perceive 0845 numbers as incurring extra cost and that this perception could deter callers—particularly problematic for patient safety and adverse event reporting.
The Panel noted the Saxenda website did not state call-cost information alongside the 0845 number, meaning some users might not call and therefore would never hear the message offering the freephone alternative.

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Breach of Clause 5.1 (2021 Code).
No breach of Clause 6.1 (2021 Code) (Panel did not consider it relevant to the allegation).
No appeal.

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