For the fourth time in five months, the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) has ruled that Moderna brought discredit on the pharma industry. Moderna received the latest telling-off after the U.K. drug marketing watchdog reviewed social media posts and other materials related to the NextCOVE clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine.
A complainant shared four third-party posts on X (formerly Twitter) and two online articles with the PMCPA to make the case that Moderna had breached the U.K. marketing code. Initially, the PMCPA panel sided with Moderna on key points, including the question of whether the biotech had brought discredit on the industry but the complainant secured a different result on appeal.
“The Appeal Board was concerned about the level of oversight that Moderna was able to demonstrate in relation to third parties,” the PMCPA said. “The use of the photograph of the schoolgirl with a teddy bear and certificate, along with the language encouraging children to take part in the vaccine trial were unacceptable (Tweet B) and reflected poorly on the industry.”
Tweet B, which was published by a patient recruitment center, contained two photos. One snap showed the schoolgirl referenced by the appeal board. The other photo showed the same child with a woman assumed to be the child’s mother or caregiver and a man who appeared to be a health professional. A reply to the post said, “If you want to take part and are over the age of 12, please get in touch.”
The appeal board took issue with the text, concluding that the “emphasis on ‘you’ being ‘over the age of 12’ with the image of the girl holding a teddy bear and certificate meant that the post was inappropriately directed at children.” That conclusion led the board to rule that high standards had not been maintained.
Across the original ruling and appeal conclusions, the PMCPA also found the materials made misleading claims and failed to clearly disclose Moderna’s role and involvement in the trial. Factoring in breaches across two Twitter posts and a linked article, the watchdog ruled Moderna had brought discredit upon and reduced confidence in the pharmaceutical industry.
The ruling is the fourth time in quick succession that the PMCPA has found Moderna brought discredit on the industry, denoting violations of Clause 2 of its code of practice. The sequence began with another case about Moderna’s NextCOVE COVID-19 vaccine trial. In that case, the watchdog took Moderna to task for an unapproved WhatsApp message that offered children 1,500 pounds sterling ($1,900) to participate in the trial.
Moderna’s other two recent serious breaches of the marketing code relate to meetings of health professionals. In separate rulings, the PMCPA concluded that the biotech had promoted its COVID-19 vaccine in a presentation and “had, in effect, made a payment to a U.K. health professional to attend a promotional meeting.”