Boehringer censured over Pradaxa website
pharmafile | March 8, 2012 | News story | Medical Communications | ABPI, Boehringer Ingelheim, PMCPA, Pradaxa
Boehringer Ingelheim has breached the ABPI’s Code of Conduct over the use of its Pradaxa website.
Pradaxa is a new oral blood thinner with several licences to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke in certain patients.
Boehringer’s website was supposed to be for medical professionals only, but an anonymous GP said that access to the site’s medical content was “not sufficiently rigorous to restrict access to health professionals only”.
The GP alleges that because of this, Boehringer Ingelheim “clearly intended to facilitate the promotion of Pradaxa to the public”.
The PMPCA, who monitors adherence to the Code, did not agree that the site was being used to advertise to the public.
It did however, find that Boehringer had breached Clause 4.6 of the Code, because the site was found to be promoting Pradaxa but did not give a clear, prominent statement as to where the prescribing information can be found.
The anonymous GP said that the location of the prescribing information was only clarified after prominent claims for Pradaxa – and the PMCPA agreed.
The Panel noted that the first page of the site – following confirmation that the reader was a UK health professional – referred to the licensed indications, but did not indicate where the prescribing information could be found.
Users of the site had to click on the relevant indication before reaching the page that contained a link to the prescribing information.
In the Panel’s view, that information should have appeared on the page that referred to the licensed indications for Pradaxa that followed confirmation of the reader as a health professional.
The PMCPA said that this part of the site was promotional, and prompted them to find Boehringer in breach of clause 4.6.
Digital problems
This is not the first time a big pharma firm has landed in hot water over its use of digital media.
Last year Pharmafocus revealed that Bayer had promoted prescription-only medicines to the general public via Twitter.
This led to the firm being found in breach of Clause 2 of the Code, which outlaws the promotion of prescription drugs to the public.
Boehringer has been found guilty of a lesser charge, but the GP had appealed against the PMCPA’s decision not to further reprimand Boehringer, believing that the firm had in fact been trying to advertise to the public through the website.
This will certainly not send shockwaves through the industry or make it re-think the use of its websites.
But as ever, the industry will need to be vigilant about how it interacts with the public and health professionals, regardless of the medium it uses.
Ben Adams is the reporter for Pharmafocus and InPharm.com and manages the DigiBlog site. He can be contacted via: email or Twitter.
Related Content
Boehringer Ingelheim and LEO Pharma partner to develop treatment for generalised pustular psoriasis
Boehringer Ingelheim and LEO Pharma have partnered to commercialise and further develop Spevigo (spesolimab), a …
Boehringer Ingelheim acquires Nerio Therapeutics, strengthening immune-oncology profile
Biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the acquisition of drug discovery and development company Nerio …
Brainomix and Boehringer Ingelheim enter strategic partnership
Brainomix has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim for …
