Principles for industry support

We have developed a Healthcare Industry Partners Framework to provide a transparent and accountable methodology which allows Partners to provide financial support to the global patients’ movement and to interact and collaborate in an effective way, whilst ensuring that our independence as a patients’ organization is maintained.  

We believe it is ethically sound to accept these funds because partnership occurs within such a framework, and because our policy development activities are also defined by a clear methodology, IAPO’s Policy Framework, to ensure that IAPO’s policy positions reflect only the views of IAPO’s members.  

It is necessary to guard against actual or perceived conflicts of interest in accepting such funds or in working collaboratively with health-related companies. The frameworks developed and the principles outlined below are necessary for all corporate relationships that support IAPO’s activities and IAPO believes that this is necessary to maintain and protect the public image and credibility of both parties.    

The Principles

The following principles have been developed to ensure that all funds received from corporate interests and all collaborative efforts with companies are ethical and reflect positively on IAPO and the companies and associations involved:

1. All sponsorship and collaborative efforts between IAPO and corporate entities must advance IAPO’s mission, as assessed by the Governing Board.
2. IAPO will not accept restricted or designated funds for activities that are inconsistent with the vision and mission of IAPO and its strategic and other plans.
3. IAPO will at all times maintain an independent position on all issues affecting patients. The potential effects of such positions on the commercial interests of funding sources or collaboration partners shall not be a relevant factor in IAPO’s decision-making process. When defining its positions, IAPO will obtain the necessary relevant information from the most objective, credible sources available and undergo consultation with members to ensure that its positions are well-informed and reflect the views of IAPO’s members in line with its Policy Framework.  
4. IAPO will accept sponsorship for projects involving educational and informational services only when it has full editorial control.
5. IAPO holds final approval of all uses of its name, logo and other identifying symbols. These symbols can be used by commercial entities only if their use furthers IAPO’s mission and only with the written consent of the Governing Board.
6. IAPO will accept support for meetings and symposia only when the programme content is determined by a group of patients’ organizations or other stakeholders representing IAPO. Funding sources will not exercise control over the programme content for such meetings or symposia.
7. IAPO will not permit presentations which support a commercial product at its meetings or symposia (except when scientific data is presented in an independent and organized fashion).
8. IAPO will provide appropriate recognition of company sponsorship but such recognition should not be interpreted as endorsement of particular policies or products.
9. IAPO will strive to have multiple companies supporting its activities to avoid the appearance of an alliance with any one company, its products, legislative agenda or regulatory concerns.
10. IAPO will ensure that company sponsors and collaborators are familiar with the ethical principles listed above.