Bristol-Myers Squibb & Pfizer: Eliquis HCP website—‘Choose Eliquis’ upheld, but AE reporting statement missing (AUTH/3563/9/21 & AUTH/3564/9/21)

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/3563/9/21 and AUTH/3564/9/21
Companies	Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer
Product	Eliquis (apixaban)
Channel	Eliquis.co.uk HCP promotional website section
Complainant	Contactable complainant (described self as a health professional)
Main issues	“Choose Eliquis” headline; inclusion of mandatory AE reporting statement
Applicable Code year	2021
Breach findings	Clause 12.9
No breach findings	Clauses 5.1, 6.1, 14.4
Sanctions	Undertaking received; additional sanctions not stated
Complaint received	29 September 2021
Case completed	26 April 2022
Appeal	No appeal
Source	https://www.pmcpa.org.uk/cases/completed-cases/auth3563921-and-case-auth3564921-complainant-v-bristol-myers-squibb-and-pfizer

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

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A health professional complainant accessed the Eliquis.co.uk health professional (HCP) section via the ‘I am a HCP’ tab.
They objected to the repeated banner headline “Choose Eliquis”, alleging it inappropriately directed HCPs to select Eliquis over alternatives and could undermine individualised prescribing.
They also alleged the HCP website did not include the required adverse event (AE) reporting wording.
The site used a landing page with three audience routes (HCPs, patients prescribed Eliquis, and public) and a two-step HCP self-declaration before entering the HCP promotional area.
Within the HCP area, AE reporting information was available via a persistent link (“For Prescribing and Adverse Event reporting information, click here”), but the AE statement was not displayed within the body of the promotional pages.

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No breach of Clause 6.1 (the “Choose Eliquis” headline was not shown to be misleading or to discourage rational use on the balance of probabilities).
No breach of Clause 14.4 (same reasoning as above).
Breach of Clause 12.9 (AE reporting statement must be included in all promotional material; a link was not sufficient where the statement was not included within the promotional website pages themselves).
No breach of Clause 5.1 (overall, high standards were not found to have been breached).
No appeal.

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