Advertising complaint - Artelac (hypromellose) 0.32% Eye Drops, supply of samples - April and June 2008

Allergan complained to the MHRA about the promotion of Artelac by Pharma-Global Limited. The complainant alleged that inappropriately excessive amounts of samples had been left behind on wards and that there was no adequate system of control and accountability in place within Pharma-Global Ophthalmics. A further similar complaint from Allergan alleged that Pharma-Global supplied Artelac samples at a promotional stand at the British Occuloplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS) 2008 Meeting of 20 June 2008 in Newcastle without an adequate system of control and accountability.

The MHRA upheld the first complaint with regard to systems of control and accountability. Pharma-Global reviewed their sample supply procedures and agreed to ensure that a signed, dated request was obtained for each sample supplied.

The MHRA did not uphold the complaint relating to the BOPSS meeting. The MHRA was satisfied from the documentation provided that a sample of a medicinal product was supplied to prescribers at the British Occuloplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS) meeting in response to a signed request.

Date case raised: 31 March 2008
Date action agreed: 25 June 2008
Date of publication: 18 July 2008