“Unmasking the Ties: Industry Influence Raises Alarms in Leading Patient Advocacy Organizations”
A revealing spotlight has been cast upon the inner workings of top U.S. patient advocacy organizations (PAOs). In a compelling research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine, concerns have been raised about the intricate web of connections between PAO board members and senior leaders and the medical products industry.
Patient advocacy organizations are entrusted with safeguarding the interests of the patients they serve, yet the shadow of industry influence has long loomed. A 2017 study unveiled that a staggering 83% of PAOs received funding from the industry, with 36% boasting current industry employees on their boards.
Now, the stage is set for an updated glimpse into this intricate landscape. Yale School of Medicine researchers have delved into the relationships between PAO leaders and the medical products industry. Their analysis of the top 50 highest-revenue U.S. patient advocacy groups paints a revealing picture of widespread ties between pharma, medtech, and PAOs.
The paper’s authors spotlight a pressing concern: “close leadership ties of PAOs with industry raise questions about industry’s influence on these organizations’ patient education, policy recommendations, and treatment guidelines.”
Diving deeper, the study uncovers startling statistics. A staggering 74% of analyzed PAOs had board members with prior or current industry connections. This phenomenon extends to PAO staff and executives as well, with half of the organizations employing individuals with ties to the industry. In a surprising twist, 22% of PAOs counted executive directors or CEOs with industry affiliations among their ranks.
The intricate web weaves further, revealing executives with industry connections seated on boards of pharma and medtech companies. This spans both giants like Genentech, where American Cancer Society CEO Karen Knudsen serves, and smaller players like Coherus Biosciences.
Shedding light on these findings, Yale’s Shamik Bhat, co-author of the paper, underscores the concerns raised: “What was particularly concerning as well is that some of these organizations had in their leadership people who not only have worked for the industry in the past, but currently were actively working for industry, including some CEOs or executive directors. I think that that degree of ties is a little concerning, to say the least.”
While the impact of these ties on patient advocacy policies remains an enigma, researchers hint at a distinct credibility that PAOs hold, a trait that pharmaceutical companies might lack. A recent report further highlights overlaps between PAO and industry policies, inviting a closer examination of the delicate balance between advocacy and influence.