Can companies lobby or undertake PR activity with politicians?

  • 26

    Clause 26 - Relations with the Public and the Media

    26.1 Prescription only medicines must not be advertised to the public. This prohibition does not apply to vaccination campaigns carried out by companies and approved by the health ministers.

    The advertising of prescription only medicines to the public is also prohibited by the relevant regulations relating to advertising.

    The promotion of medicines to the public for self medication purposes is covered by the Consumer Code of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB).

    MOST RECENT CASES See all  Applicable Code year

    26.2 Information about prescription only medicines which is made available to the public either directly or indirectly must be factual and presented in a balanced way. It must not raise unfounded hopes of successful treatment or be misleading with respect to the safety of the product.

    Statements must not be made for the purpose of encouraging members of the public to ask their health professional to prescribe a specific prescription only medicine.

    • Supplementary information
    • Cases
    • Clause 26.2 Information to the Public
    • Clause 26.2 Financial Information
    • Clause 26.2 Information to Current or Prospective Employees
    • Clause 26.2 Approval of Information
    • Clause 26.2 Health Technology Assessments

    MOST RECENT CASES  See all  Applicable Code year

    26.3 Any material which relates to a medicine and which is intended for patients taking that medicine must include the statement below or a similar one:

    ‘Reporting of side effects'

    If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at [a web address which links directly to the MHRA Yellow Card site]. 

    By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.’

    When the material relates to a medicine which is subject to additional monitoring an inverted black equilateral triangle must be included on it together with the statement below or a similar one:

    ‘This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. See [a web address which links directly to the MHRA Yellow Card site] for how to report side effects.’

    26.4 Requests from individual members of the public for advice on personal medical matters must be refused and the enquirer recommended to consult his or her own doctor or other prescriber or other health professional.

    26.5 Companies are responsible for information about their products which is issued by their public relations agencies.

     

Interactions companies have with politicians will vary. Companies need to consider the aims and objectives of such interactions and if the interaction is appropriate. Whether such interactions fall within the scope of the Code will depend on the aims and objectives and how these are implemented.