Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15094

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Suspended Roche handed an olive branch
The Manufacturer 2009 Feb 16
http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/content/8925/Suspended_Roche_handed_an_olive_branch?PHPSESSID=9af1710017f450a414541860

Full text:

Pharmaceutical firm Roche Pharma has had its membership to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) reinstated after serving a seven month suspension for breaching its code of convention.

Roche’s conduct was adjudged to “bring discredit on, or reduce confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry”. The activities found wanting were related to the selling of a drug called Xenical to private clinics which was deemed to be “possibly prejudicial to patient safety”. The drug was for treating obesity and was supposed to be prescription-only.

Roche was also accused of providing £55,000 of funding to a company for setting up another clinic which was also linked to the sale of the drug.