The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7497 p428
12 April 2008

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MHRA deems Actos advertorial misleading

An advertorial for Actos (pioglitazone) was “misleading” and failed to encourage the rational use of the product because the appropriate patient checks were not specifically mentioned, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has announced.

The advertisement for the drug, which is manufactured by Takeda, appeared in the GP press — Pulse and GP — in January 2008.

A corrective statement published this week by Takeda said that claims in the advertisement around cardiovascular risk were inconsistent with the summary of product characteristics, which warns that the product could cause fluid retention that may exacerbate or precipitate heart failure.

The company has withdrawn the advertisement and promised not to use it again.