Medical education should be free from undue influence and conflicts of interest

A group of European organisations react to a recent update in the pharmaceutical industry’s Code of Practice.

Mental Health Europe together with European organisations active in the field of transparency issued a joint statement to highlight the shortcomings in the new European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Code of Practice. The response raises concerns about the privileges granted to pharmaceutical companies under the new Code of Practice. The updated self-regulatory Code allows the pharmaceutical industry to influence the content of medical education and to conceal promotional activities under the guise of education.

“Much of the medical education is currently funded by the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. This practice carries a significant risk to public and personal health, especially if it is not adequately safeguarded by a high standard of accreditation,” says the response signed by doctors, healthcare professionals, medical students, medical education stakeholders, mental health advocates and users of mental healthcare. To preserve scientific integrity and safety of care, signatories call for independence in medical education.“Only fully independent medical education can contribute to improving patient outcomes and quality of care,” concludes the response.

Read the joint reaction ‘Regulating for bias in medical education’ HERE

For more information please contact Marcin Rodzinka, Advocacy & Policy Officer at Mental Health Europe:  marcin.rodzinka@mentalhealtheurope.org / +32 2 227 27 08