GSK: LinkedIn ‘celebrate’ of third‑party niraparib trial post ruled off‑label promotion to the public (AUTH/3854/11/23)

📊

Key facts

⌄

Case	AUTH/3854/11/23
Company	GSK UK Limited
Issue	Off-label promotion on LinkedIn via a UK-based employee ‘celebrating’ a third-party post about niraparib trial results in glioblastoma
Medicine	Niraparib
Channel	LinkedIn (reaction/‘celebrate’ to third-party post linking to press release)
Complainant	Anonymous, non-contactable; described themselves as a health professional
Complaint received	18 November 2023
Case completed	22 January 2025
Applicable Code	2021
Breach clauses	Clause 5.1; Clause 11.2; Clause 26.1
No breach clauses	Clause 2; Clause 3.1
Sanctions	Undertaking received; Additional sanctions: Not stated
Appeal	No appeal

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

📋

⌄

An anonymous health professional complained that a senior GSK employee had ‘liked’/reacted to a LinkedIn post about GSK drug data that was off-label.
The post was created by an American medical institute and linked to a US press release announcing “promising results” from a GSK-supported Phase 0/2 niraparib trial in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with unmethylated MGMT.
A UK-based employee within GSK’s Global team clicked the ‘celebrate’ reaction on the post, which the Panel considered proactively disseminated the content to their LinkedIn connections (including members of the public).
Niraparib had a UK marketing authorisation, but not for glioblastoma (it was licensed for a specific population of patients with ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer).
GSK stated the third-party post/press release were not approved by GSK; the employee removed the reaction after the complaint and had completed social media training.

⚖️

⌄

Breach of Clause 5.1 (Failing to maintain high standards).
Breach of Clause 11.2 (Promoting a medicine for an unlicensed indication).
Breach of Clause 26.1 (Advertising a prescription only medicine to the public).
No breach of Clause 2 (Requirement that activities or materials must not bring discredit upon, or reduce confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry).
No breach of Clause 3.1 (Requirement that a medicine must not be promoted prior to the grant of its marketing authorisation).
No appeal.

🔒

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