PMCPA Case Analysis

Over 2,000 real rulings β€” analysed for what they mean to your team. Published every day.

All Cases PMCPA Case of the Week PMCPA Cases

Showing 1914 cases

2008
CASE
Boehringer Ingelheim

Micardis/Micardis Plus journal advertisement: implied long-term cardiovascular benefit

A GP challenged a Prescriber journal ad for Micardis and Micardis Plus. The Panel ruled the headline implied unproven long-term cardiovascular benefits,…

2008
CASE
Pfizer

Pfizer Champix journal ad: superiority claim vs NRT ruled misleading due to lack of study design context

A Champix journal ad claimed significantly greater quit success vs an NRT patch. The PMCPA Panel ruled the claim misleading because the…

2008
CASE
AUTH/2183/11/08 Allergan ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/2183/11/08: Merz Pharma v Allergan – misleading potency comparison for Botox vs Xeomin

Allergan materials and representative messaging suggested Xeomin was ~70% as potent as Botox based on animal assay data. PMCPA found the comparison…

2008
CASE
AUTH/2176/10/08 Schering-Plough

Nurse v Schering-Plough (AUTH/2176/10/08): Infusion service programme and alleged confidentiality breach (No breach)

A nurse alleged she was suspended for refusing to share confidential unit/customer data from an infusion service facilitation programme. The Panel found…

2017
CASE
AUTH/2981/9/17 ViiV

AUTH/2981/9/17: Member of the public v ViiV Healthcare β€” iPad use on a train (No breach)

A member of the public saw Triumeq promotional material on a third-party employee’s iPad on a train. Panel ruled no promotion to…

2009
CASE
AUTH/2256/8/09 Napp Pharmaceuticals

Napp: opioid conversion messaging on Targinact website/leavepiece found misleading (AUTH/2256/8/09)

A prescribing adviser challenged Targinact materials implying simple switches from co-codamol/tramadol. PMCPA ruled the unqualified β€œinstead of” conversion messaging misleading and a…

2009
CASE
AUTH/2238/6/09 Shire Pharmaceuticals

Shire misleadingly presented Mezavant XL β€œ68% maintained remission” claim (AUTH/2238/6/09)

Two Mezavant XL leavepieces implied the drug induced and maintained remission in 68% of patients. PMCPA ruled the presentation misleading because the…

2008
CASE
Merck Sharp & Dohme ⭐ Case of the Week

Takeda v Merck Sharp & Dohme: Cozaar ad criticised for misleading meta-analysis presentation and selective Cochrane quoting

MSD’s Cozaar ad claimed losartan was β€œas effective as other leading AIIAs” and quoted a Cochrane review. PMCPA found the presentation/quoting misleading…

2009
CASE
AUTH/2272/10/09 Allergan

AUTH/2272/10/09: Alcon v Allergan β€” Retrospective rebate scheme for glaucoma eye drops (No breach on appeal)

Alcon challenged Allergan’s NHS retrospective cash rebate scheme for glaucoma drops as an inducement. The Panel initially found breaches, but the Appeal…

2010
CASE
AUTH/2301/3/10 Eli Lilly

Anonymous GP v Lilly (AUTH/2301/3/10): alleged pre-licence promotion of exenatide once-weekly (Byetta) – no breach

Anonymous GP alleged Lilly reps said long-acting exenatide would launch β€œwithin months”. Panel found complaint not proven on balance of probabilities; no…

2010
CASE
AUTH/2298/2/10 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer

AUTH/2298/2/10: GSK Consumer Healthcare NiQuitin mailingβ€”PK data presentation implied quit-rate superiority and breached prior undertakings

A NiQuitin 21mg Clear Patch mailing used pharmacokinetic comparisons and β€œno other patch…” claims. Panel found misleading implied superiority/causal links and breaches…

2010
CASE
AUTH/2336/7/10 GlaxoSmithKline

GSK: MHRA references in Seretide materials and prolonged use of β€œnew” for Avamys (AUTH/2336/7/10)

Anonymous complaint upheld in part: Seretide materials referenced the MHRA (breach Clause 9.5 x2) and Avamys was described as β€œnew” for over…

2010
CASE
AUTH/2308/4/10 Norgine ⭐ Case of the Week

AUTH/2308/4/10: Media/Director v Norgine – undisclosed company role behind public letter on generic substitution

Norgine funded and coordinated a PR-led campaign that resulted in a Times letter opposing automatic generic substitution, but the published letter did…

2019
CASE
AUTH/3153/1/19 Otsuka

Anonymous v Otsuka Europe (AUTH/3153/1/19): Withdrawn congress advert and widespread certification failures

Otsuka Europe was found in breach after a withdrawn advert appeared in an EPA programme and extensive congress materials (62/64 job bags)…

2019
CASE
AUTH/3177/3/19 GrΓΌnenthal

GrΓΌnenthal: LinkedIn β€˜like’ treated as promotion of Qutenza to public and HCPs (AUTH/3177/3/19)

A UK employee β€˜liked’ a global LinkedIn post calling Qutenza β€œhighly effective”. The Panel said the β€˜like’ disseminated promotion to the public…

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