Pharma dirty tricks gets Merck suspended from the ABPI

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Merck suspended from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical

Industry (ABPI).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5399444.stm

Drug firm's tactics reprimanded

A major drugs firm has been named and shamed over " serious breaches "

of the industry's code of conduct.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd, the UK arm of Merck & Co Inc, has been

suspended from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical

Industry (ABPI).

Merck offered GPs help screening blood pressure patients, but the

service was only available to doctors which used its blood pressure

drug, Cozaar.

Merck said it regretted the situation and took the reprimand

seriously.

We are working hard to reaffirm our core values and standards, and

restore confidence and pride in our business practices

Round, managing director of MSD

It is quite common for drug firms to offer such a service, but by

only offering it on such a limited basis, Merck was in breach of

clause two of the code.

Suspension - for a minimum of three months - means that MSD UK will

be refused involvement with the ABPI, the trade association for more

than 75 companies in the UK which produce prescription medicines.

During the course of the investigation, the ABPI found MSD used

Cozaar logos and called the venture the " Cozaar Nurse Audit

Programme " .

It was alerted to the breach by a former MSD sales representative

who noted the logos were used on slides for the programme.

The Panel of the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority

(PMCPA) - which administers the ABPI Code of Practice - found that

internal company documentation clearly linked the programme to the

promotion of Cozaar and said the plan was " totally unacceptable " .

Standards

Nigel by, president of the ABPI, said: " The highest possible

ethical standards are required by the pharmaceutical industry in all

its relationships with healthcare professionals and other

stakeholders.

" Breaches of the code are viewed in the most serious possible light,

and this is reflected in the suspension.

" However, it is reassuring to note that MSD also recognises the

seriousness of the breaches, and is taking action to prevent their

recurrence. "

Round, managing director of MSD UK, said: " We view the finding

of a breach by the PMCPA very seriously and regret this situation,

which we feel does not present a true reflection of the core ethics

and values of our organisation.

" We are working hard to reaffirm our core values and standards, and

restore confidence and pride in our business practices.

" Our values and standards are not only the foundation of our company

and all that we stand for, but they are the basis of our success.

They always have been and they always will be