Researchers call for UK Sunshine Act as Novo Nordisk is again reprimanded over undisclosed payments

The Danish drug giant Novo Nordisk, known for its antidiabetes and weight loss drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic or Wegovy), has been censured by the UK’s Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) over its failure to properly disclose payments to healthcare organisations and patients’ groups between 2015 and 2022.It is the third time in less than a year that the PMCPA, the self-regulatory body that administers the code of practice of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI),1 has reprimanded the company over this issue. Experts in research transparency have said that the repeated offences make a mockery of self-regulation of the drug industry and that only a law to disclose payments backed by financial penalties will deter companies from inappropriate marketing.In July last year Novo Nordisk voluntarily admitted that it had failed to disclose around 500 payments totalling £7.8m to 150 recipients, including doctors, patients, journalists, and…