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AstraZeneca: promotional meeting misclassified and LinkedIn ‘likes/reposts’ led to pre-authorisation promotion and public advertising concerns (AUTH/3729/1/23)
Six complaints against AstraZeneca. Breaches found for a UK meeting treated as non-promotional (certification/PI and ‘cure’ claims) and for LinkedIn engagement promoting an unlicensed medicine and a POM to the public.
GP v Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb: Eliquis leavepiece renal dosing table found misleading
A GP challenged an Eliquis leavepiece claiming no dose adjustment in mild/moderate renal impairment. The PMCPA found the page misleading versus the SPC, upheld breaches including Clause 2, and rejected the Alliance’s appeal on standards/discredit.
AUTH/3200/5/19: Director/Media v Napp – arrangements for a New York meeting (2002)
Following BBC criticism, the PMCPA assessed a Napp-sponsored New York meeting for UK pain specialists. The Panel found breaches relating to overseas venue justification and entertainment/hospitality, including Clause 2 discredit.
Otsuka Europe: UK website product pages ruled to promote prescription-only medicines to the public
An anonymous employee complained that Otsuka UK webpages listed POM brand/generic names and indications. The Panel ruled the pages promoted POMs to the public and were not access-restricted, breaching Clauses 26.1, 26.2, 28.1 and 9.1.
Boehringer Ingelheim voluntary admission: MIMS issue carried Spiolto Respimat advertising on more than two pages
Boehringer Ingelheim admitted that June 2019 MIMS carried a Spiolto Respimat full-page ad plus a double-sided bookmark insert, exceeding the two-page limit for a single product in a print journal.
UCB employee LinkedIn profile promoted unlicensed bimekizumab (AUTH/3287/12/19)
A UCB employee’s personal LinkedIn profile described work on Phase 3 axial spondyloarthropathy for bimekizumab. The Panel ruled this promoted an unlicensed medicine and was not certified, breaching Clauses 3.1, 14.1 and 9.1.
Bristol-Myers Squibb voluntary admission: incorrect overall survival data in promotional article (Urology News)
Bristol-Myers Squibb admitted a promotional article misquoted 30‑month overall survival figures for intermediate/poor-risk aRCC by using ITT data. The online article was removed and a corrected reprint with apology was issued.
AstraZeneca voluntary admission: employee re-tweeted product-related tweets about Forxiga and Lynparza from a personal Twitter account
AstraZeneca admitted an employee re-tweeted positive clinical-trial-related posts about Forxiga and a Lynparza news tweet from a personal account. The Panel found promotion of unlicensed indications, advertising POMs to the public, and lack of certification.
Vifor corporate website: non-black black triangle symbol and no separation of public vs HCP content
Vifor’s corporate website displayed inverted triangle symbols in blue/grey/white (not black) on IV iron product pages and mixed public and HCP information without separation. The site was deactivated and brand information removed.