New BMJ article pushing for industry-free influence

A global team of researchers, clinicians, regulators, and citizen advocates published a new aricle in The BMJ suggesting how to build an evidence base for healthcare that is free of commercial influences from Pharma, Biotech and MedTech organisations.

Perspectives differ on the financial relationships between industry and healthcare professionals, and debate is ongoing about where to draw the line between valuable collaboration and relationships that don’t serve patients or the public.

Some see transparency as the best strategy, while others regard it as necessary but insufficient. The authors argue that endemic financial entanglement is distorting the production and use of healthcare evidence, causing harm to individuals and waste for health systems. The authors propose pathways towards financial independence from industry across healthcare decision making.

“If we want to produce trustworthy evidence and tackle the epidemic of medical excess, decision-makers at all levels within healthcare need to disentangle themselves from those profiting from that excess.” said Dr. Ray Moynihan, lead author, Assistant Professor at Bond University in Australia.

The publication outlines possible pathways to financial independence from commercial interests in research, education and practice.

Another perspective suggests that the academic institutions, clinicians, government, industry and patient organisations each have their own expertise and require financial sustainability to be able to contribute to the healthcare sector.

In considering the complex healthcare environment and an aging population, how can these organisations work more collaboratively together to enhance patient outcomes?

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