Bayer Healthcare named in advertisements for breaches of the ABPI Code of Practice

​Bayer Healthcare – Case AUTH/2402/4/11
For using Twitter to announce the launch of two prescription only medicines, Bayer Healthcare was ruled in breach of the following clauses of the Code:
Clause 2 - Bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry.
Clause 9.1 - Failing to maintain high standards.
Clause 22.1 - Advertising a prescription only medicine to the public.
Clause 22.2 - Encouraging members of the public to ask their health professional to prescribe a specific prescription only medicine.

The full case report is published in the PMCPA August Code of Practice Review and is also available at www.pmcpa.org.uk.

Under provisions in its Constitution and Procedure, the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) advertises brief details of all cases where companies are ruled in breach of Clause 2 of the Code, are required to issue a corrective statement or are the subject of a public reprimand.

The advertisements will appear in The Nursing Standard on 17 August 2011 and the BMJ and The Pharmaceutical Journal on 20 August 2011