Motion 18
Ethical Conduct In Pharmaceutical Practices
“That this Congress calls upon the global pharmaceutical industry, the revenues of which exceed $1.6 trillion, to adhere to ethical standards in the promotion and marketing of their medications to protect patient safety.
“Congress notes the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) judged that in relation to promotional webinars for Saxenda, a medication which suppresses appetite, and promotes weight loss; ‘Novo Nordisk(NN) did not recognise that this was a large-scale Saxenda promotional campaign which NN knowingly paid for, and which was disguised. NN failed to recognise that its behaviour was not compliant with the Code. NN had failed to recognise that the content of the training it sponsored, focused on its medicine Saxenda, was promotional; failed to recognise that the arrangements, including attendance of NN’s representatives at webinars and their subsequent follow-up with delegates, meant that it could not be considered an arm’s length sponsorship; and failed to recognise that covering the cost of a Patient Group Direction (PGD) was a benefit offered to individual health professionals and amounted to an inducement.’
“In Scotland, between 1.4% and 15.4% of hospital admissions are drug-related, the most common caused by prescribing/monitoring problems. Inappropriate drug promotion and prescribing practices cause harm. Increasingly, people are arriving at A&E seeking treatment for serious side effects of weight loss drugs. This costs our NHS.
“For these breaches of ethical standards, to date the sanction levied was to be publicly reprimanded by the ABPI. NN, whose operating profits in 2023 totalled $14,900,000,000 – up 40% from 2022, faced no financial penalties. This lack of tangible consequences fails to deter unethical behaviour.
“We urge the implementation of stricter sanctions and financial penalties for pharmaceutical companies found to be in breach of ethical standards. Inappropriate and harmful behaviours must be eradicated, and we should prioritise patient well-being over corporate profits.”
Mover: The PDA Union
RSS