Glaxo Wellcome Breaches IFPMA Marketing Code

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical ManufacturersAssociations has published details of two cases involving breaches of the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices. As the complaints were upheld and breaches of the Code determined, the IFPMA has published information identifying the company and the complainant.

The first case, C96/6-1, concerned a detailing folder for Flixonase (fluticasone propionate) used by Glaxo Wellcome Saudi Arabia. Goran Skanberg, area director at Astra Middle East, complained about three claims made for the product in the folder. GW's headquarters being in the UK, the complaint was referred to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and dealt with by the UK Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority. The PMCPA Panel gave its opinion, which is endorsed by the IFPMA.

The Panel first considered the claim that "Flixonase is three times more potent than budesonide." It considered this to be misleading, as the evidence for relative potency was insufficient to support the very strong claim made on this, and it implied that relative potency was an indicator of relative efficacy which had not been demonstrated. A breach of Section 1.3 of the IFPMA Code was ruled.