Novo Nordisk Faces Reprimand for Undisclosed Payments in the UK

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has been reprimanded by UK regulators for failing to disclose payments worth about £7.8 million between 2020 and 2022. The company voluntarily admitted the error in 2023, attributing it to human error. Other firms like Novartis and Pfizer also faced minor breaches of industry codes.

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has been officially reprimanded by UK regulators for not disclosing payments totaling approximately £7.8 million ($9.97 million) made between 2020 and 2022. The UK industry body Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) confirmed the reprimand following Novo Nordisk's voluntary disclosure of these payments, which involved more than 150 entities and included fees to healthcare professionals and sponsorships to healthcare organizations.

Novo Nordisk, known for its successful diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Wegovy, revealed in a 2023 statement that the undisclosed payments were legitimate but miscategorized due to human error. "We accept the PMCPA's decision regarding the breaches of the Codes of Practice during the specified timeframe," the company stated, noting its agreement with the ruling as part of its voluntary admission.

Additionally, in March last year, Novo Nordisk faced a two-year suspension from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) for other code violations. ABPI highlighted a complaint that Novo Nordisk had sponsored weight management courses on LinkedIn for health professionals without proper disclosure. The PMCPA also mentioned on Friday that Novartis and Pfizer had committed minor breaches of the ABPI's code, further affecting the credibility of the pharma industry.

(Disclaimer: With inputs from agencies.)