The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) has published new guidelines for pharmaceutical companies, offering directions on maintaining high standards for social media content.
The PMCPA is the independent body which administers the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Code of Practice, which in turn includes the guidelines for pharmaceutical companies to follow for promotion of prescription-only medications (POMs) in the UK. By law, POMs such as botulinum toxin cannot be directly promoted to the public in the UK, and the ABPI also has strict rules on how pharmaceutical companies and distributors can promote them to medical professionals while maintaining transparency about how they can be used.
The guidance mentions areas such as public disease awareness, responding to misinformation, working with influencers, advertising jobs and posting about clinical trials, as well as how this differs when promotion is aimed at medical practitioners rather than the general public. It also touches on how social media should be used by employees of pharmaceutical companies, including what external content should be engaged with or not.
Director of the PMCPA, Alex Fell, said, “We recognise that social media can pose particular challenges for companies under the ABPI Code. With its wide reach and international audience, information on medicines can be seen by people it wasn’t intended for. I hope this guidance will help companies navigate the potential pitfalls of social media with more confidence, a clearer knowledge of the principles to follow and the legal requirements.”
The full guidelines for pharmaceutical companies can be accessed here.
Advertising guidelines for aesthetic professionals and clinics can be accessed via the Advertising Standards Authority here.
