IPR Policy Brief: Protecting patients and the NHS through full transparency in industry-NHS collaborations

The Government faces a key balancing act: growing a world-leading life sciences sector while safeguarding patients from the risks posed by financial conflicts of interest between pharmaceutical and medical device companies and the NHS, its staff, and professional bodies.
Ensuring full transparency of these financial ties is essential, but the current disclosure system in England, created and overseen by the industry, does little to address these risks. Independent research and the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) Review have highlighted its failures. In addition, cases of avoidable patient harm and instances of major companies failing to disclose their payments to the NHS and its staff underscore the urgent need for reform. Nevertheless, the Government’s proposals in late 2023 offered only modest improvements.
This policy brief recommends legislative changes in three key areas based on patient experience, international best practices, and research evidence. These reforms will promote transparency by being comprehensive, enforceable, and actionable. In so doing, they will support the Labour Government’s core missions to strengthen the NHS and drive investment in life sciences. Following the scope of the IMMDS Review, the proposed reforms focus on England, but their core transparency principles are relevant for all devolved administrations within the UK.