AUTH/2997/12/17 - Anonymous health professional v AbbVie

Promotion of Synagis

  • Received
    18 December 2017
  • Case number
    AUTH/2997/12/17
  • Applicable Code year
    2016
  • Completed
    17 July 2018
  • No breach Clause(s)
  • Breach Clause(s)
  • Sanctions applied
    Undertaking received
  • Additional sanctions
  • Appeal
    No appeal
  • Review
    Published in the November 2018 Review

Case Summary

A contactable, anonymous complainant who described him/herself as a ‘very concerned’ health professional complained about the presentation of Synagis (palivizumab) clinical data by an AbbVie representative at a meeting. Synagis was indicated for the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease requiring hospitalisation caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children at high risk for RSV disease.

The complainant explained that at the meeting a number of health professionals gave presentations and an AbbVie representative talked about congenital heart disease (CHD) and presented specific case studies of patients who had various CHD complications together with reasons why they should be put forward for prophylaxis with Synagis. The case study slides appeared to be added into the presentation outside the medical approval process. A request for a copy of the case studies was refused. In the complainant’s view, AbbVie was trying to influence the audience to prescribe Synagis to all CHD patients outside the NHS England (NHSE) Guidelines. The claims on the slides did not refer to any published data or local audits.

The complainant stated that having a representative presenting medical case studies and subsequent outcomes, completely reduced his/her confidence in the pharmaceutical industry and discredited the content of the whole educational event.

The detailed response from AbbVie appears below.

The Panel noted that the representative had delivered a promotional presentation on CHD which was certified as such and included a single case study at the end.

The Panel noted AbbVie’s submission that a ‘Pathways’ document, a set of three scenarios, was used in the meeting. The scenarios were printed and left on tables during the session for discussion and were not formally presented as inferred by the complainant. Each scenario described a patient and then asked five questions about RSV immuno prophylaxis and the use of Synagis.

The Panel noted that it was not unacceptable for a representative to discuss and present case studies as alleged, provided that the manner in which it was done complied with the Code. The Panel considered that there was no evidence that by allowing the representative to present and/or facilitate a discussion on the three scenarios within the Pathways document the representative or the company had failed to maintain high standards. No breach of the Code was ruled.

The Panel was concerned to note that the meeting organisers did not consider the Pathways document was promotional thus requiring certification. As the document had not been certified, a breach of the Code was ruled as acknowledged by AbbVie. A robust certification procedure underpinned self-regulation and the failure to recognise the promotional nature of the document and therefore that it required certification, meant that AbbVie had failed to maintain high standards and a breach of the Code was ruled.

The Panel noted that the promotion of a medicine must be in accordance with the terms of its marketing authorization and must not be inconsistent with the particulars listed in its summary of product characteristics (SPC). The Panel noted the allegation that in the complainant’s view, AbbVie was trying to influence the audience to prescribe Synagis to all CHD patients outside NHSE Guidelines. The Panel noted, however, that the Code did not state that a medicine must only be promoted in a manner that was consistent with NHSE Guidelines although it did require that all information, claims and comparisons must be accurate and must not be misleading either directly or by implication, by distortion, exaggeration or undue emphasis.

The Panel noted AbbVie’s submission about the most recently published NHS commissioning arrangements for Synagis and the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) recommendations on RSV and Synagis. The Panel noted that an undated, unsigned NHSE commissioning arrangements letter listed children over 2 years old as being not acceptable under the guidance for treatment due to little or no evidence for RSV prophylaxis. The JCVI document on RSV only referred to the use of Synagis in infants under 2 years of age. This was reflected in the presentation in question which referred to NHSE Guidance of November 2016 in relation to co-morbidities associated with CHD. The Panel noted that within a preceeding section ‘Burden of RSV in CHD’ one slide stated that ‘Of 1806 US children aged under 5 years who died with bronchiolitis between 1979 and 1997, 9.9% had CHD’. The Panel was concerned about this statement in a promotional presentation noting Synagis’ licensed indication. The Panel noted that other slides made it clear that data related to those aged less than 2 years, babies or small neonates. The Panel noted that the three scenarios in the Pathways document clearly referred to infants born in 2017. The Panel, whilst noting its concern above, did not consider that a general statement about the prevalence of CHD in patients under 5 years with risk factors for CHD, was misleading or otherwise qualified the subsequent reference to NHSE Guidelines within section ‘JCVI Guidelines for CHD’. The Panel noted the narrow allegation and did not consider that the complainant had established that AbbVie was trying to misleadingly influence the audience to prescribe Synagis to all CHD patients outside the NHSE Guidelines as alleged. No breach was ruled.

The Panel noted the complainant’s general allegation that the claims on the slides did not refer to published data or local audits conducted including the outcomes of prophylaxis with the said patient cohort. The complainant had not provided any material to support his/her allegations in this regard and it was not clear which claims he/she considered required references to published data or local audits as alleged. It was not for the Panel to make out a complainant’s allegation. The Panel thus ruled no breach of the Code. The Panel noted its comments and rulings above and did not consider that the circumstances warranted a ruling of a breach of Clause 2 which was used as a sign of particular censure and reserved for such use. No breach of Clause 2 was ruled.