AUTH/3606/1/22: Health professional v Accord — Sixmo campaign imagery (puppets) and market research feedback (No breach) | PMCPA Case

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Key facts

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Case	AUTH/3606/1/22
Complainant	Health professional
Company	Accord UK Ltd
Product	Sixmo 74.2mg implant (buprenorphine)
Issue	Promotional campaign imagery (puppets) alleged to be derogatory/offensive; alleged failure to act on market research feedback
Applicable Code year	2021
Clauses considered	2, 5.1, 5.2
Decision	No breach
Complaint received	24 January 2022
Case completed	06 October 2022 (site listing) / 17 October 2022 (report text)
Appeal	No appeal
Materials referenced	Health professional leave piece Ref UK-03077 (Date of preparation: September 2021); Health & Justice Exhibition Stand Ref UK-03319
Market research (UK)	10 participants; 40 responses; ~67% liked/mostly liked/very much liked the imagery; 6/40 (15%) did not like puppet imagery (as submitted by Accord)

Download the full case report (PDF)

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

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What happened

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A health professional complained about Accord UK Ltd’s promotion of the buprenorphine implant Sixmo 74.2mg after participating in market research for the campaign.
The complainant alleged the campaign was ill-conceived and derogatory, depicting patients with addiction as puppets, and said colleagues shared this view.
The complainant alleged Accord progressed with the campaign despite negative feedback, causing offence and failing to maintain high standards, and that this brought the industry into disrepute.
The complainant did not provide the materials complained about; Accord supplied the campaign items it believed were at issue (including a leave piece and exhibition stand materials).
Materials included the headline “Help to cut the ties that addiction brings” and puppet imagery (e.g., leave piece Ref UK-03077, prepared September 2021; exhibition stand material Ref UK-03319).
Accord said market research (March 2021) tested four images; UK sample was 10 participants (GPs and psychiatrists specialising in addiction), producing 40 responses.
Accord said only 6/40 (15%) responses related to not liking puppet imagery; it proceeded but made changes (e.g., removed tattoos to avoid stereotyping; removed scissors due to self-harm sensitivity; kept one string to avoid implying cutting “all” ties; softened/brightened background).
The Authority’s letter referenced the wrong clause numbers initially (it asked for Clauses 9.2/9.1/2 of the 2021 Code), but the Panel considered the relevant 2021 clauses were 5.1 and 5.2.

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Outcome

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No breach of the Code was found.
No breach of Clause 5.2: the Panel considered the campaign was not likely to cause offence to most of the audience and did not fail to respect the professional standing of the audience or the special nature of medicines.
No breach of Clause 5.1: the Panel did not consider Accord failed to maintain high standards.
No breach of Clause 2: given no other breaches, the Panel ruled there was no basis for the “particular censure” clause.

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AUTH/3606/1/22: Health professional v Accord — Sixmo campaign imagery (puppets) and market research feedback (No breach)

Key facts

What happened

Outcome

Clauses

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