Novartis: employee ‘liked’ LinkedIn posts referencing Cosentyx and HS – promotion to the public (Clause 26.1 breach)

📊

Key facts

⌄

Case numbers	AUTH/3843/11/23 and AUTH/3844/11/23
Company	Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited
Issue	Alleged promotion of a medicine on LinkedIn via an employee ‘liking’ posts referencing Cosentyx (secukinumab) and HS
Platform	LinkedIn
Medicine	Cosentyx (secukinumab)
Indication referenced	Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)
Complainant	Anonymous, non-contactable complainants
Applicable Code year	2021
Complaint received	02 November 2023
Case completed	03 January 2025
Appeal	No appeal
Breach findings	Clause 26.1 (breach); Clause 5.1 (no breach)
Sanctions	Undertaking received; additional sanctions not stated

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

📋

⌄

Two anonymous, non-contactable complaints were received and amalgamated.
A Novartis UK-based employee (in a global role; not apparently senior) ‘liked’ two LinkedIn posts that referenced Cosentyx (secukinumab) and its use/approval in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
Post 1 (from a US academic) included promotional phrasing such as “a win for HS patients” and “raises the bar”, and linked to an article about FDA approval of Cosentyx in HS.
Post 2 (from a pharma industry news outlet) stated FDA approval of an expanded label for #Cosentyx (secukinumab) in moderate-to-severe HS in adults, included an image of the Cosentyx injection, and linked to an article.
Novartis instructed the employee to ‘unlike’ both posts immediately on the day it received the PMCPA letters.
Novartis stated the employee acted without intent or instruction and contrary to company policies/training, but accepted the conduct was in scope of the Code and amounted to promotion to the public.

⚖️

⌄

Breach of Clause 26.1 (Advertising a prescription only medicine to the public) in relation to each LinkedIn post.
No breach of Clause 5.1 (Requirement to maintain high standards) in relation to each LinkedIn post.

🔒

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