Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17422

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: Journal Article

Erskine D
Demand for Schering to pay NHS compensation for
Scrip 2003 Jan 13;

Abstract:

Scrip reports that the Drug & Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) is calling on Schering to repay the NHS £200,000 compensation for the effect that a misleading advertisement (that was subsequently withdrawn) had on prescribing costs. It is estimated that £200,000 represents the difference in cost between Yasmin and the next most expensive oral contraceptive to the NHS.
Prof Collier, the editor of the DTB told Scrip that there should be some recompense when doctors prescribe expensive drugs in good faith as a result of misleading claims. However Schering have stated that they are not prepared to reimburse the NHS as prescribing is a clinical choice made by the prescriber and the patient. They are also quoted as saying, “we do not think the prescriber would be overly influenced by advertising – and we still stand by the claims as they are based on clinical trials”