Formal Code of Practice Reprimand for Pfizer Animal Health

On 10 July 2008 the NOAH Board discussed a Report from the NOAH Code of Practice Committee regarding a breach of an Undertaking by Pfizer Animal Health, relating to the promotion of Spirovac®, and issued a formal reprimand to Pfizer.

In that Undertaking, signed on 14 February 2008, Pfizer accepted the decision of the Committee and undertook, in relation to any promotion of Spirovac®:

(a) Forthwith to cease and immediately to suspend any practice which includes any claim that Spirovac® “works” against L. hardjo prajitno, or which by other words, connotations or means, suggests or implies or tends to imply that that product provides protection against that strain; or

(b) Forthwith to cease and immediately to suspend any practice which includes any reference to Spirovac® being licensed for use against L. hardjo prajitno.

However, three promotional items issued following the Undertaking were deemed by the Code of Practice Committee to be in breach of this Undertaking, and this decision was then reported to the NOAH Board.

Pfizer was formally reprimanded for their conduct. Pfizer will be writing to all recipients of the offending material to apologise, and to correct any misunderstanding that may have arisen, namely to explain that Spirovac® only has a licensed claim for protection against one of the two strains of bovine leptospirosis, the hardjo bovis strain. Although Spirovac® has been shown to stimulate an antibody response against the second strain, hardjo prajitno, protection against this strain has not been demonstrated by challenge studies and it therefore has no licensed claim against this strain.

5 August 2008

Notes for Editors

1. For further information contact Phil Sketchley at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)20 8367 3131, or visit the NOAH website, www.noah.co.uk/code
2. The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association has 29 corporate members and 8 associate members. In 2007 the NOAH sales survey showed a total market of £415m, which is estimated to represent approximately 90% of the total UK market.
3. Since 1974 the animal medicine industry has regulated the contents and quality of advertisements, leaflets and promotional activities under its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines which is obligatory for all NOAH members and companies participating in the NOAH Datasheet Compendium. The Code is administered by a committee, including an independent chairman, veterinary and farming members as well as elected industry experts.
4. Spirovac® is a registered trademark of Pfizer Animal Health.