Recently, five global health organizations – the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO), International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and the World Medical Association (WMA) – announced the Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration. This framework seeks to support partnerships that deliver greater patient benefits and support high quality patient care. Derived from the individual codes of ethical practice and health policy positions of the five supporting organizations, this framework is based on four overarching principles:
(1) putting patients first;
(2) supporting ethical research and innovation;
(3) ensuring independence and ethical conduct; and
(4) promoting transparency and accountability.
The Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration between Patients’ Organizations, Healthcare Professionals and the Pharmaceutical Industry can be found here. The codes of practice for each supporting organization are available at IAPO, ICN, IFPMA, FIP, WMA.
According to the Framework:
“As developed and developing countries strive to address pressing health challenges in the complex and fast-evolving healthcare environment, collaboration between all partners is essential in ensuring proper delivery of the most appropriate care for patients worldwide.
In the 1980s international codes and guidelines were approved including the first IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices in 1981 and the WHO Ethical Criteria for Medicinal Drug Promotion in 1985. Since then progress has been made to ensure appropriate interactions and ethical promotion of medicines globally, including through self-regulatory and voluntary mechanisms such as codes of conduct and principles. These highlight the need for patients’ organizations, healthcare professionals, and the pharmaceutical industry to work together for the benefit of patients, while recognizing each other’s professional role in the context of the healthcare value delivery chain and maintaining their professional independence.
There is an important link between patients, healthcare professionals, the pharmaceutical industry and their organizations in providing best solutions to patients’ health needs and each partner has a unique role and responsibility in ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate care. Patients must be informed and empowered to, along with their caregivers, decide on the most appropriate treatment options for their individual health needs and to participate responsibly in use of health resources and managing their own health. In this respect, healthcare professionals must ensure that the treatment options they offer to patients are appropriate. In turn, the pharmaceutical industry has a duty to provide accurate, fair, and scientifically grounded information for their products, so that the responsible use of medicines can be facilitated.”
As noted in the health organization’s release: “Advancing medical knowledge and improving health depend on regular information-sharing interactions between all partners. While individual codes of practice govern the activities of each group, this broad-based consensus framework applies across much of the healthcare community to include interactions involving patients, nurses, pharmacists, doctors, and the healthcare industry.”
Furthermore: “Ensuring ethical conduct, transparency and accountability are key in the development and testing of medicines and other health technologies,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation at the World Health Organization. “We encourage all organizations involved to examine ways to develop monitoring mechanisms that can support these principles.”
About IAPO:
IAPO is the only global alliance representing patients of all nationalities across all disease areas and promoting patient-centered healthcare worldwide. Our members are patients’ organizations working at the local, national, regional and international levels to represent and support patients, their families and careers. IAPO has over 200 members which span over 60 countries and 60 disease areas and through its membership represents an estimated 365 million patients worldwide.
About ICN:
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
About FIP:
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists and is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). Through its 126 Member Organizations FIP represents and serves more than three million practitioners and scientists around the world. Its mission is to improve global health by advancing pharmacy practice and science to enable better discovery, development, access to and safe use of appropriate, cost-effective, quality medicines worldwide.
About IFPMA:
IFPMA represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. The research-based pharmaceutical industry’s 1.3 million employees research, develop and provide medicines and vaccines that improve the life of patients worldwide. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health.
About WMA:
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international organization representing physicians. The organization was created to ensure the independence of physicians, and to work for the highest possible standards of ethical behavior and care by physicians, at all times. The purpose of the WMA is to serve humanity by endeavoring to achieve the highest international standards in Medical Education, Medical Science, Medical Art and Medical Ethics, and Health Care for all people in the world.