GlaxoSmithKline Employee Blows Whistle on Drug Promotions

At a time when GlaxoSmithKline execs have been arguing that off-label promotional activity is no longer standard operating procedure, they must have been chagrined to learn that a Glaxo employee earlier this year complained to the UK trade group for the pharmaceutical industry that promotional and training efforts involving sales reps crossed the line. In a ruling issued last week, the Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry found that Glaxo violated the code of conduct three different ways in connection with a promotional push for the Revolade treatment for a rare bleeding disorder known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP. The unnamed Glaxo (GSK) employee complained that a sales rep had promoted Revolade for myeloid fibrosis to an National Health Service consultant through e-mails and meetings. And the panel ruled that the communications, which referred to both maladies involving a particular patient, could have been misconstrued and the rep should have known better.

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