Bayer UK found in breach of NOAH medicine promotion policies
Bayer UK breached NOAH's Code of Practice on Animal Welfare.
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has ruled that pharmaceutical firm Bayer UK breached the NOAH Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines.
NOAH’s Code of Practice Committee met with Bayer chair Guy Tritton in January to discuss a complaint referred to them by Boehringer Ingelheim. The complaint concerned statements made by Bayer UK sales representatives to veterinary practices in various territories about the efficacy of NexGard Spectra® to prevent angiostrongylosis.
A NOAH press release reads: ‘The statements referred to false case reports about NexGard Spectra® and its efficacy. All such reports were false. Once notified of the communications activity, to its credit, Bayer UK took steps to address the matter with the sales representatives and stop the communication of this information.
‘It was accepted by Bayer UK that the reports were false and that the statements should not have been made and that this conduct breached clauses 4.3, 4.4 and 11.2 of the Code.
‘The Code of Practice Committee decided that the conduct of Bayer UK’s representatives was also in breach of Clause 3.1 of the NOAH Code, which states: “A Promotion must never be such as to bring discredit upon, or reduce confidence in, the animal medicines industry”.’
Full details about the case are available at noah.co.uk
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
