ABPI Rebukes Five Drugmakers for Breaching Code of Practice

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry found five drugmakers — AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Boehringer Ingelheim and Grünenthal — violated the trade group’s code of practice by engaging in activities that ranged from deceptive marketing to inaccurate training.

AstraZeneca infringed four clauses of the code when the company promoted its chronic obstructive pulmonary disease maintenance therapy, Duaklir Genuair, as a treatment to reduce the rate of severe or moderate COPD exacerbations. Duaklir is indicated to relieve and delay the return of COPD symptoms, not treat the disease.

Letters that stated the cardiovascular benefit of Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Type 2 diabetes therapy, Jardiance, ahead of an FDA approval to expand the drug’s indication, broke four clauses of the code as well.