MHRA Takes Action on LinkedIn Pharma Marketing

The UK’s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Friday said it has reprimanded the dermatology company Galderma after receiving an anonymous complaint about promotional material for a prescription drug shared on the social networking site LinkedIn.
MHRA said it upheld the complaint as the UK, unlike the US, does not allow prescription-only medicines to be promoted to the public though it does allow advertisements for over-the-counter medicines, according to guidance.
Switzerland-based Galderma assured MHRA that the material was a single employee’s error of judgement outside of the company’s knowledge or authority. The company provided details of remedial action to ensure all of its staff are aware of company policy on the use of social media.
MHRA on Friday also announced that 10 UK clinics advertising botulinum toxin products amended their advertising to ensure prescription drugs are not advertised to the public. Earlier last month, the regulator also upheld a complaint about a letter from Fontus Health to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Groups about Zaluron XL (quetiapine), saying that the material was promotional as it contained product claims and was aimed at persons qualified to prescribe or supply medicines and should therefore have included statutory information.