§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries on its investigation into the allegation that Bayer UK is inducing doctors to prescribe its drugs on the false ground that they 566W are contributing to a research project; and if it is normal practice for the results of such investigations to be sent to him.
§ Mr. NewtonIn a letter of 15 December, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has communicated to the Department the results of its investigation into the allegations publicised on 10 September about promotion by Bayer UK Limited of Adalot Retard.
Bayer admitted that during the period in question company representatives had given doctors fees for assessments. They stated that this had not been company policy and that they had taken steps in June 1985 to ensure that this practice ceased, that it would not recur, and that the ABPI code of practice would be observed in all respects.
ABPI decided that these methods had brought discredit upon the pharmaceutical industry and ruled that there had been breach of its code of practice. ABPI also took a very serious view of the breach and determined to suspend the company's membership of ABPI indefinitely with immediate effect, while continuing to expect it to comply with the code of practice. ABPI will make a further review of Bayer's promotional activity.
ABPI's normal practice is to communicate the findings of its code of practice committee not only to the Department but to the Secretaries of the British Medical Association and of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and to the editors of the British Medical Journal and of The Pharmaceutical Journal.