AUTH/3574/11/21: Health Professional v GW Pharmaceuticals (No breach – alleged promotion to the public at conference stand) | PMCPA Case

📊

Key facts

⌄

Case number	AUTH/3574/11/21
Complainant	Anonymous, non-contactable health professional (hospital consultant)
Company	GW Pharmaceuticals (response submitted by Jazz Pharmaceuticals)
Allegation	Promotion of medicines/pipeline to the public at a conference stand; discussions within earshot of patients/carers
Event	7th Global Symposium on Medical Ketogenic Dietary Therapies, Brighton (19–22 October 2021)
Stand content described	Single pull-up banner “GW Cannabinoid Pipeline” showing four investigational molecules with disclaimer that none were licensed for listed indications
Applicable Code year	2021
Clauses considered	2, 5.1, 11.1, 26.1, 26.2
Panel decision	No breach of the Code
Complaint received	4 November 2021
Case completed	29 July 2022
Appeal	No appeal

Download the full case report (PDF)

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

📋

What happened

⌄

An anonymous, non-contactable complainant (self-described hospital consultant) alleged GW Pharmaceuticals promoted medicines to the public at the 7th Global Symposium on Medical Ketogenic Dietary Therapies (Brighton, 19–22 Oct 2021).
The complainant said conference delegates included patients/carers (including children aged 10 and under) and that GW had a stand in full view of all attendees.
The complainant alleged GW representatives discussed the company’s medicines within earshot of non-medical delegates and displayed a banner showing the company’s pipeline, which patients were seen reading.
The Authority asked the company to consider Clauses 2, 5.1, 11.1, 26.1 and 26.2 (2021 Code).
Jazz Pharmaceuticals (GW now part of Jazz) responded that the stand was non-promotional, staffed by two medical employees (with an account manager attending congress sessions), and that staff were briefed not to proactively reference medicines.
Jazz said the only stand material was a certified banner titled “GW Cannabinoid Pipeline” showing four investigational molecules (GWP42003-P OS, GWP42003-P IV solution, GWP42006 and GW-1000-02) with a disclaimer: “None of the above products are licensed for use in the listed indications. Content herein is for background information only”.
Jazz stated the congress was typically split into an HCP day (which it sponsored/attended) and a patient day (which it said did not go ahead in 2021), and the sponsorship programme described attendees as “approximately 500+ healthcare professionals” with no mention of patients/public.

⚖️

Outcome

⌄

No breach of the Code was ruled.
No breach of Clause 11.1 (the allegation related to promotion to the public, not to health professionals).
No breach of Clause 5.1 (complainant did not establish, on the balance of probabilities, that pre-licence pipeline products were promoted to the public).
No breach of Clauses 26.1 and 26.2 (complainant did not establish that prescription only medicines were promoted to the public; and the banner molecules were unlicensed and therefore not prescription only medicines at the time).
No breach of Clause 2 overall.

🔒

Unlock the full case analysis

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

AUTH/3574/11/21: Health Professional v GW Pharmaceuticals (No breach – alleged promotion to the public at conference stand)

Key facts

What happened

Outcome

Clauses

Unlock the full case analysis

AQP Flagship Path — the complete UK ABPI signatory programme

📰 Weekly PMCPA Case Breakdown