A U.K. trade group has reprimanded Novartis for the third time this year for misleading promotional efforts for its best-selling drug, bringing disrepute to the entire pharmaceutical industry.
In the most recent instance, the company was cited for making unsubstantiated and false claims in a podcast promoting Entresto, a medication for heart failure, to nurses.
Among other problematic aspects, the episode trivialized a crucial safety concern—the significance of kidney function—and incorrectly implied that the drug was the best treatment option.
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As a result, Novartis broke numerous rules set forth by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry-supervised Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, a self-regulatory organization.
The PMCPA was established 30 years ago in an effort to improve the industry’s reputation and has since become a forum for complaints, frequently from physicians and company employees.
