Clause 8 - Disparaging References

Clause

8.1 The medicines, products and activities of other pharmaceutical companies must not be disparaged.

  • Clause 8.1 Disparaging References

    Much pharmaceutical advertising contains comparisons with other products and, by the nature of advertising, such comparisons are usually made to show an advantage of the advertised product over its comparator. Provided that such critical references to another company’s products are accurate, balanced, fair etc, and can be substantiated, they are acceptable under the Code.

    Unjustified knocking copy in which the products or activities of a competitor are unfairly denigrated is prohibited under this clause.

    Attention is drawn to the requirements for comparisons set out in Clauses 7.2 to 7.5.

most recent cases See all Applicable Code year
Applicable Code year

Please check the date of the Code that applies to the Case that you are looking at. The date of the complaint may vary from the activity/material alleged to have been in breach.

AUTH/3137/12/18 - ViiV Healthcare v Gilead Sciences Breach: 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.10, 9.1, 8.1 No breach: 2, 7.2, 7.9 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 20 December 2018 Completed: 18 November 2019 AUTH/2830/3/16 - Pharmacosmos v Vifor Promotion of Ferrinject Breach: 7.2, 8.1 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 31 March 2016 Completed: 07 December 2016 AUTH/2834/4/16 - Takeda v Amdipharm Mercury Promotion of Lutrate Breach: 3.2, 7.2, 7.3, 7.10, 8.1, 9.1 No breach: 2, 7.2, 7.3 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 08 April 2016 Completed: 03 June 2016 AUTH/3031/4/18 - Anonymous health professional v Gilead Breach: 3.2, 7.2, 9.1 No breach: 2, 3.2, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.1, 9.1, 12.1 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 19 April 2019 Completed: 03 June 2019 AUTH/2969/8/17 - Senior Practice Nurse v AstraZeneca Conduct of a representative Breach: 9.1, 15.2 No breach: 2, 7.2, 7.4, 8.1, 15.2, 15.4, 15.9 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 03 August 2017 Completed: 26 January 2018 AUTH/2953/4/17 - Tillotts v Dr Falk Promotion of Salofalk Granules Breach: 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.10 No breach: 7.3, 7.4, 7.10, 8.1, 9.1 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 18 April 2017 Completed: 17 August 2017 AUTH/2911/11/16 - Anonymous v Galen Promotion of Laxido No breach: 2, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 30 November 2016 Completed: 13 January 2017 AUTH/2822/2/16 - Bayer v Daiichi-Sankyo Promotion of Lixiana Breach: 3.2, 7.2, 7.4, 7.8, 7.10, 9.1 No breach: 3.2, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 8.1, 9.1 Applicable Code: 2016 Received: 23 February 2016 Completed: 16 May 2016