Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Abu Mujahid: The steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the Resistance thwarted the displacement plan and allowed us to secure the best possible terms in an agreement to halt the genocidal war
Abu Mujahid: We salute whosoever made sacrifices in support of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the martyred Sayyed Nasrallah and Sayyed Safieddine, as well as the people of Yemen and Iran
Abu Mujahid, head of the media office of the Popular Resistance Committees, to Al Mayadeen: The people of Gaza have sacrificed and given their most precious offerings for the Al-Aqsa Flood
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli artillery shelling targeted Khan Younis and the al-Bureij and al-Maghazi refugee camps
Captives may be released as early as Saturday and by Monday at the latest: Source briefed on the details of the agreement.
Netanyahu set to convene security cabinet at 1500 (1200GMT) and government at 1600 (1300GMT) to approve the deal: Source briefed on the details of the agreement
Within the first 24 hours, the Israeli military will complete the first phase of partial withdrawal: Source briefed on the details of the agreement
Israeli military says it has begun operational preparations for the implementation of the Gaza agreement
Israeli media: The ceasefire will take effect today at 12 noon
Israeli media: Israeli military divisions have been ordered to prepare for a complete withdrawal or repositioning to the rear in the near future

Drug firms behind patient lobby groups for NHS: The Observer

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian/The Observer
  • 23 Jul 2023 19:52
5 Min Read

Financial interests were frequently not fully stated in Nice transparency filings and many organizations that profited pleaded with England's drugs watchdog.

  • x
  • Observer: Drug firms behind patient lobby groups for NHS
    A pedestrian enters a branch of a Boots retailer and pharmacy in July 2020. (AFP)

According to The Observer, pharma firms are systematically sponsoring grassroots patient organizations that petition the NHS medicines watchdog to approve the spread of their treatments.

The investigation details that 138 of the 173 medication assessments done by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) since April 2021 featured patient groups that either had a financial link to the maker of the drug being assessed or have since received funding.

Financial interests were frequently not fully stated in Nice transparency filings and many organizations that profited pleaded with England's drugs watchdog, requesting that their medicine be authorized.  

Read more: ‘Emotional blunting’ possible result of antidepressants: Study

In one example, In another case, a cancer patient group supplied evidence relating to drugs made by 10 companies – from nine of which it had received funding. The payments raise serious concerns for the drugs regulator about how it manages possible pervasive conflicts of interest and efforts by firms to build relationships with organizations participating in the assessment process.

Former president of the British Medical Association, Prof Martin McKee, stated that the industry funding of patient groups was a “longstanding concern”, adding that “mechanisms for managing conflicts of interest are not fit for purpose.”

'A massive conflict of interest'

Dr. Leeza Osipenko, a former employee for Nice and its previous director of scientific advice, called the issue "a massive conflict of interest. There needs to be a discussion at a government level to decide what is the solution.”

The Observer research showed that the funds collected by charities made up a significant chunk of their income in several circumstances.

A pharma firm paid the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, a modest heart failure charity, £200,000 to participate in the Nice review for their medicine in 2022 and 2023.

When Nice declined AstraZeneca's Forxiga on financial grounds, the charity filed an appeal, stating that the decision had caused "great disappointment", explaining it had "always provided the required information" to Nice.

A company owned by the Migraine Trust charity received £115,000 from Pfizer in “conference sponsorship” and did not declare the funds in 2022 since it did not consider them relevant.

Related News

George Galloway, wife detained at Gatwick, released without charge

'Racist, immoral': Starmer on Farage's Reform deportation plan

During an appraisal of Novartis’ drug Kesimpta in 2021 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, the patient group the Multiple Sclerosis Trust said it had received £1,600 in conference fees from the company in the previous 12 months, although the annual reports suggest the number was more than £230,000 from 2018 to 2021. 

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is yet another charity that participated in 12 Nice appraisals since April 2021 and failed to disclose details of funding received from 9 out of 10 companies. The charity disclosed that “our funding base is a broad mixture including community, retail, corporate, legacies and charitable trusts.”

Diarmaid McDonald, the lead organizer at Just Treatment, believes the conflicts of interest undermine the Nice appraisal process, noting that "we need proper independent voices that can provide a critical view."

Fundamental rethink of patient groups

The head of investigations at anti-corruption organization Transparency International UK, Steve Goodrich, stated that payments raise “serious questions as to whose interests” the groups were representing, calling for a "fundamental rethink about the resourcing of patient groups."

Nice has responded that it would investigate the issue deeper and that its appraisals were “greatly enhanced by the patient voice,” including “robust processes” that allow it to “make recommendations based on careful analysis of all the evidence” while facing “pressures from across the health ecosystem."

"We recognize that these payments are made, and our committees are aware that both patient groups and their representative charities give their insights from their own perspective and interests.”

According to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), medication corporations are not permitted to fund patient advocacy organizations to campaign for their goods in Nice evaluations

The director of medical affairs, Dr. Amit Aggarwal, stated that “it is wrong to suggest any inappropriate connection between company partnerships with patient groups and the Nice Health technology appraisal process. The industry’s strict code of practice demands that any partnership is transparent and companies must respect the independence of patient organizations at all times.”

AstraZeneca has financial links to the majority of patient groups engaged in Nice assessments of its medications, according to statistics. Since 2021, nine of ten organizations engaged in eight Nice assessments for its medications have received funds from the firm.

“We do not offer donations or payments to charities in exchange for their participation in the Nice process. All of our payments to patient organizations are listed on our website," it stated.

Others, such as The Multiple Sclerosis Trust and the Migraine Trust, refuted any underreported income, stating they complied with Nice policies.

Pfizer reported that charity payments were “in no way related to medicines undergoing the Nice appraisal process” and that its work with patient groups is to aid in “building an understanding of patients’ needs."

A May study at the London School of Economics found that “almost all funds (90%) from pharmaceutical companies were directed to patient organizations… aligned with companies’ approved drug portfolios and research and development pipelines."

The Observer previously reported how the company behind the Wegovy injection drug paid millions to experts and NGOs who endorsed the treatment in Nice filings without accurately revealing their ties to the company. 

  • Britain
  • Drugs
  • UK’s NHS
  • National Health Service

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli armored vehicle moves on a street of a local market during a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth near Ramallah amid raids

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran interested in resuming nuclear talks: Lavrov

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a news conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

IMF head flags US budget, Europe Defense spending challenges

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
Politics

Meloni faces ICC complaint over Gaza genocide complicity with Israelis

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS