The Government faces a key balancing act: growing a world-leading life sciences sector while safeguarding patients from the risks posed by financial conflicts of interest between pharmaceutical and medical device companies and the NHS, its staff and professional bodies. Ensuring full transparency of these ties is essential, but the current disclosure system, created and overseen by the industry, does little to address these risks. Independent research and the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review have highlighted its failures. In addition, cases of avoidable patient harm and instances of major companies failing to disclose payments underscore the urgent need for reform. The Government’s proposals in 2023 offered only modest improvements.

This policy brief, written by a team of international academic researchers and UK-based patient advocates, recommends legislative changes in three key areas based on patient experience, international best practices and research evidence. The reforms will promote transparency by being comprehensive, enforceable and actionable. In so doing, they will support the Government’s core missions to strengthen the NHS and drive investment in life sciences. Following the scope of the IMMDS Review, the reforms focus on England, but their core transparency principles are relevant for all devolved administrations within the UK.