On 4 February 2026, the The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) published revised social media guidance as a new dedicated section of its website.
This guidance:
- has been developed and revised by the PMCPA following collaboration over several years with various stakeholders, including the MHRA, the ABPI and pharmaceutical company representatives.
- reflects the PMCPA’s current interpretation of the relevant UK legal framework, the requirements of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), and the ABPI Code.
- also reflects the PMCPA’s views based on available case precedent.
The guidance:
- does not replace the need for pharmaceutical companies and their personnel (including members of staff, those retained by way of contract and third parties) to follow the ABPI Code and all other applicable codes, laws and regulations to which they are subject.
- also does not identify all the requirements that must be followed for each activity, as they may vary significantly depending on the nature of the activity.
The guidance is split into the sections show below, for ease of reference.
- However, each section is not intended to be read isolation – important context will appear within other sections, including but not limited to the principles and responsibility sections.
- Sub-sections of the guidance where there have been major updates include those highlighted and in italics below and are covered in the blog post mentioned in the Further Reading section below. They are not an exhaustive list and the PMCPA strongly recommend that companies familiarise themselves with the full new guidance.
Social media principles which covers:
• What is social media?
• What are the fundamental principles that pharmaceutical companies should consider when using social media?
• What other rules and regulations should be considered when using social media?
• Key questions to consider before carrying out any social media activity
Responsibility which covers:
• Who is responsible under the ABPI Code for social media activity?
• When does social media activity outside the UK fall within the scope of the ABPI Code?
Types of activity which covers:
• Creating content: links, hashtags and tagging
• Interacting and engaging with social media content
• Targeting social media activity and closed communities
• Monitoring comments and meeting pharmacovigilance responsibilities
• Responding to misinformation or inaccuracies
• Creating a personal profile
Types of content which covers:
Signposting information or directly communicating?
• Promotion to health professionals and other relevant decision makers
• News and announcements suitable for the general public
• News and announcements for an investor audience and the media
• Does the prohibition on medicine name in a post apply to investigational compounds with no INN?
• Disease awareness for the public
• Patient support
• Job adverts
• Clinical trial recruitment
Working with others which covers:
• Working with influencers
• What should companies put in written agreements with third parties in relation to disease awareness campaigns on social media?
• Declarations of involvement for sponsored events and materials
The PMCPA:
- can only provide informal guidance. However, this informal guidance reflects case precedent and the PMCPA’s interpretation of the Code, therefore, companies are strongly advised to assess whether their policies and procedures are in line with the guidance.
- will publish an on-demand webinar in late February 2026 to highlight some of the main updates.
Further reading
UK PMCPA publishes revised guidance for the use of social media, Libby Amos-Stone et al, 23 February 2026, BioSLice Blog, Arnold & Porter.