The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7236 p229
15 February 2003

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Letters to the Editor

Advertising

The role of the PMCPA

From Mrs H. Simmonds

I refer to recent correspondence regarding pharmaceutical advertising from Anthony Cox of the West Midlands Centre for Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting (PJ, 1 February, p154) who was responding to Professor Trevor Jones, Director General of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (PJ, 25 January, p116).

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by the ABPI to deal with all matters relating to the Code of Practice for the pharmaceutical industry at a distance from the ABPI itself. The code covers the promotion of medicines for prescribing to health professionals. It reflects and extends beyond United Kingdom legal requirements.

The industry strongly supports self-regulation, which is permitted by UK and European law and supported by the Medicines Control Agency. Inter-company complaints are a means of reinforcing self-regulation as companies keep a close eye on each other. Health professionals concerned about advertising should consider submitting complaints to the PMCPA for consideration under the code. One of the major differences between self-regulation and MCA statutory control is that under the code a complainant is given full details of the outcome, including the opportunity to appeal if no breach is ruled at the initial stage. Further, full details of cases considered are published in the quarterly Code of Practice Review which is available on request. Detailed information is neither provided to the complainant nor published by the MCA.

Mr Cox is wrong to state that the use of data on file is not open to scrutiny. Companies which refer to data on file in their advertising must provide the relevant part of that data on request. All claims, etc, must be based on an up-to-date evaluation of the evidence and reflect that evidence clearly. They must be capable of substantiation and such substantiation must be provided on request.

One of the roles of the PMCPA is to provide training on the code and occasionally presentations are made to groups of health professionals using examples from completed cases. The PMCPA is happy to consider any request for a presentation on the code.

Heather Simmonds
Director,
Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority

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