Big Pharma Lobby Influencing English Health Policy
Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has come under fire recently for allowing pharmaceutical lobbyists to write a report that might influence future health policies in the country. NHS commissioned the Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA) to draft a report that would help the country better utilize its five year plan of commissioning about 12 billion pounds of health services.
Many in the public assumed that SHCA was a nonprofit organization without an agenda. However, SCHA has since revealed that is entirely funded by pharmaceutical companies and the group’s director, John Murray, is also a lobbyist for some of the largest drug companies in the world. The revelations have increased public tension with the pharmaceutical industry and raised questions about the connections between NHS and pharmaceutical companies. NHS is not required by law to publically disclose its meetings with lobbyists, while other British government departments are required to do so. NHS also does not disclose employees that might have conflicts of interest, such as those with ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
The SHCA report recommends that the government “disinvest in interventions that have lower impact for patients” in favor of “new services or innovations.” Some have taken that to mean SHCA is recommending a public investment in pharmaceutical companies. NHS has claimed that the report represents no conflict of interest and has undergone the same scrutiny that other government departments use.
James Palmer, who is currently the NHS clinical director of specialised services, has stated he is satisfied with the content of the report. “There are no opportunities for lobbying in the process of forming clinical policy.”
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