Stirling Anglian, Guerbet, Napp and Hospira UK named in advertisements(1) following breaches of the ABPI Code

Press Release 23 August 2016

All four companies have brought discredit upon, and reduced confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry. In addition Stirling Anglian was required to issue a corrective statement.

Stirling Anglian – Case AUTH/2783/7/15

For making unacceptable payments to health professionals to attend a meeting that promoted CosmoCol (macrogol plus electrolytes) and theiCal-D3 (calcium carbonate and colecalciferol), and thus was not a genuine advisory board, Stirling Anglian was required to issue a corrective statement and 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 18.1 - Paying health professionals to attend a promotional meeting.
Clause 21    - Issuing a contract that amounted to an inducement to prescribe.
Clause 22.1 - Providing inappropriate hospitality.
Clause 22.2 - Providing hospitality that exceeded local cost limit.
Clause 23.1 - Engaging health professionals in other than genuine consultancy arrangements.

The Code of Practice Panel(2) reported Stirling Anglian to the Code of Practice Appeal Board. The Appeal Board was concerned that UK health professionals had attended the meeting on the understanding that it was an advisory board and had been paid to do so. This was unacceptable. The Appeal Board decided to require Stirling Anglian to issue a corrective statement to all the UK attendees at the meeting.

The interim case report and the wording of the corrective statement are available at www.pmcpa.org.uk.

Guerbet – Case AUTH/2805/12/15

For the loan of contrast injectors to health professionals on the condition that they continued to buy Guerbet’s radiological contrast agents, Guerbet was ruled in breach of the following clause of the Code:

Clause   2    - Bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry.

The full case report was published in the PMCPA August 2016 Code of Practice Review and is available at www.pmcpa.org.uk.

Napp – Case AUTH/2808/12/15

For making unacceptable payments to health professionals to attend a meeting that promoted Remsima (infliximab), and thus was not a genuine advisory board, Napp 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 12.1 - Disguised promotion.
Clause 18.1 - Paying health professionals to attend a promotional meeting.
Clause 23.1 - Engaging health professionals in other than genuine consultancy arrangements.

The full case report was published in the PMCPA August 2016 Code of Practice Review and is available at www.pmcpa.org.uk.

Hospira – Case AUTH/2820/2/16

For holding a meeting outside the UK for UK health professionals which was not a genuine advisory board, where its biosimilar medicines were promoted, Hospira 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 18.1    - Providing an inducement to prescribe or recommend Hospira medicines.
Clause 22.1    - Providing inappropriate hospitality.
Clause 23.1    - Engaging health professionals in other than genuine consultancy arrangements.

The full case report was published in the PMCPA August 2016 Code of Practice Review and it is available at www.pmcpa.org.uk.

 

Notes to Editors:

(1) The advertisements will appear in the Pharmaceutical Journal on 27 August, BMJ on 3 September and Nursing Standard on 7 September 2016. 

(2) The Code of Practice Appeal Board consists of an independent, legally qualified, chairman and includes independent members, as well as senior executives from pharmaceutical companies. For the consideration of any matter independent members, including the Chair, must be in a majority. Further details are available in the PMCPA Constitution and Procedure.

For more information contact Elly Button ebutton@pmcpa.org.uk 0207 7478884 or 07920863650

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of the ABPI. The Code covers the promotion of medicines for prescribing to health professionals and the provision of information to the public about prescription only medicines. If you have any concerns about the activities of pharmaceutical companies in this regard, please contact the PMCPA at 7th Floor, 105 Victoria St, London, SW1E 6QT or email complaints@pmcpa.org.ukThe Code and other information, including details about ongoing cases, can be found on the PMCPA website www.pmcpa.org.uk.