AUTH/3900/5/24: Ex-Employee v AstraZeneca (meetings, hospitality and alleged inducement)

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Key facts

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Case number	AUTH/3900/5/24
Complainant	Ex-employee (contactable)
Company	AstraZeneca UK Limited
Applicable Code	2021
Complaint received	8 May 2024
Case completed	30 June 2025
Appeal	No appeal
Main issues alleged	Inappropriate hospitality/excess alcohol; inducement to prescribe; payments for attendance; pseudo advisory board/insight gathering; disparagement of NICE; consultancy criteria
Event 1	Conference speaker engagement in Liverpool (31 Jan 2024); one round of five drinks purchased (£29.90 total) while waiting for delayed taxi (per evidence)
Event 2	Medical education workshop (22 Mar 2024) with very low attendance (1 attendee on the day); four contracted speakers; workshop ran full scheduled duration
Outcome	No breach of Clauses 2, 5.1, 6.7, 10.1, 10.2, 10.7, 10.8, 17.2, 17.10, 19.1, 24.1, 24.2

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

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An ex-employee complained about two AstraZeneca UK oncology-related events.
Event 1 (31 Jan 2024, Liverpool conference): Alleged a retired professor speaker was bought “numerous” alcoholic drinks (including alleged scotch/whiskey), exceeding limits, and that discussions took place about Enhertu and increasing prescriptions/market share (alleged inducement).
Event 2 (22 Mar 2024, medical education workshop): Alleged only 1 HCP attended; the event should have been cancelled/shortened; speakers were paid in full despite not delivering contracted services; the session allegedly became insight-gathering / a “pseudo advisory board” with alleged discussion of Enhertu/ILD and disparagement of NICE.
AstraZeneca denied the allegations and provided documentary evidence (receipts, taxi timing, contracts, meeting report, and evidence the speaker had retired from practice).

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No breach of the 2021 ABPI Code in relation to either event.
The Panel accepted evidence that only one round of five drinks was purchased (£29.90 total) while waiting for a delayed taxi, and found no evidence of inappropriate discussions/inducement.
The Panel accepted the workshop was a contracted, non-promotional medical education workshop; speakers delivered contracted services; subsistence was within limits; and it was not an advisory board.

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No Breach of Clause 2(x2) Requirement that activities or materials must not bring discredit upon, or reduce confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry
No Breach of Clause 5.1(x2) Requirement to maintain high standards at all times
No Breach of Clause 6.7 Requirement that the clinical and scientific opinions of health professionals not be disparaged
No Breach of Clause 10.1 Requirement that companies must not provide inappropriate hospitality
No Breach of Clause 10.2(x2) Requirement not to pay individuals merely for time spent attending events/meetings
No Breach of Clause 10.7(x2) Requirement that subsistence must not exceed £75 per person
No Breach of Clause 10.8(x2) Requirement that payments may not be made to doctors for the rental of room for events/meetings
No Breach of Clause 17.2 Requirement that representatives must maintain high standards of ethical conduct in the discharge of their duties and comply with all relevant requirements of the Code
No Breach of Clause 17.10 Requirement that companies are responsible for representatives even if they are acting contrary to instructions
No Breach of Clause 19.1(x2) Requirement that gifts etc. may not be provided to health professionals as an inducement to prescribe
No Breach of Clause 24.1 Health professionals may be used as consultants and advisers
No Breach of Clause 24.2 Requirement that consultancy arrangements fulfil set criteria

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