UK Regulator Alleges Pfizer is Promoting Unlicensed COVID Vaccine on Social Media
The PMCPA found that Pfizer breached its regulatory code, including ‘bringing discredit’ on the pharmaceutical industry.
A UK pharmaceutical watchdog revealed that Pfizer violated its regulatory code five times, one of which was for “promoting an unlicensed medicine” through a social media post made by a Pfizer employee.
The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) made this ruling after receiving a complaint in February 2023 about a post on X by a Pfizer employee in the United States.
The post contained Pfizer’s press release regarding the Phase 3 Study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which was later shared by a Pfizer senior employee in the United Kingdom.
Pfizer was found guilty of breaching its regulatory code by the PMCPA for “bringing discredit” to the pharmaceutical industry, promoting an unlicensed medicine, and making a misleading claim.
The complaint raised concerns about Pfizer’s misuse of social media to promote their COVID vaccine in a misleading and illegal manner, lacking safety information about the vaccine.
According to the complainant, Pfizer failed to conduct an audit of its social media accounts, including those of its senior employees, to ensure compliance with the code.
Social Media Post Was Not Intended to Be Promotional
Pfizer assured the PMCPA that it takes its commitment to the regulatory code seriously and conducted a thorough investigation into the matter.
The company clarified that the post was not promotional but rather a statement of fact about the efficacy endpoints of the study.
Pfizer claimed that the UK senior employee did not intend to promote or advertise the vaccine candidate and that the post was shared in error.
Despite having a policy on personal use of social media related to Pfizer’s business, Pfizer acknowledged that errors were made by its employees in promoting an unlicensed vaccine through social media.
Pfizer took corrective actions following the complaint, including issuing an instruction to employees to ensure their social media activities comply with the company’s policy.
The PMCPA report noted that the post led to the dissemination of an unlicensed medicine on Twitter to health professionals and the public in the UK, and criticized the lack of reference to adverse events of the vaccine.
