Funding Policy

Funding Policy

Introduction

The European Information Center on Clinical Research Participation (EICCRP) welcomes corporate support, including but not restricted to donations, grants and sponsorship to fund certain projects and to enable the Center to fulfill its purpose. In order to provide the broadest range of information to the general public and professionals alike, the Center actively seeks to involve all parties with an interest in clinical reserach and clinical trials, including the industry. At the same time, retaining its not-for-profit, independent status is essential in EICCRP’s pursuit of its outlined goals, and it is therefore imperative to lay down clear principles that guide such relationships.

The following paragraphs outline EICCRP’s policy on commercial funding and provides a set of principles that will be used to guide its decisions. It does not set out to provide a definition of every possible funding opportunity. This policy will apply to all potential relations with any company from any industry.

This policy has been drafted with an attention to the relevant policies of other European organizations. These organizations include the UK Breast Cancer Coalition, EURORDIS, the UK’s Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance, ECPC and others.

Purpose of this Policy

  • To ensure that EICCRP has a consistent and transparent approach to working with commercial companies.
  • To ensure the Center maintains its independence from commercial interests.
  • To clarify EICCRP’s position to its supporters, commercial companies and the wider public.

Funding: Categories

There are three funding categories, including:

Project funding – whereby the Center will establish a collaborative partnership with a commercial company to undertake a project relating to an issue of mutual interest. The following features will apply to this relationship:

  • EICCRP maintains editorial control over all materials produced in connection with the project.
  • The company will have representation on the project steering committee.
  • The funding company’s logo is used.
  • EICCRP will not endorse or promote individual products or services.
  • The wording and/or position of the credit will be agreed in negotiations with the company.
  • EICCRP and the commercial partners will both benefit from the relationship.

Sponsorship – where a company funds a single activity such as a public gathering or a newsletter. In this case the following will apply:

  • EICCRP reserves the right to review the Sponsor’s planned involvement and modify it as necessary to comply with its principles.
  • EICCRP maintains editorial control over all materials or meeting programmes.
  • EICCRP will not endorse or promote the sponsor’s products or services.
  • The sponsor’s logo is used.
  • The wording and/or position of the credit are part of the sponsorship negotiations with the company.
  • EICCRP and the commercial partners may both benefit from the relationship.

Unrestricted grants are defined where all of the following apply:

  • The company has no involvement in the project for which the grant is used.
  • The grant will be acknowledged.
  • The company’s logo is not used.
  • The Center controls the wording and position of the credit.

Financial donations and in-kind support may be given to the Center by commercial companies, however there is no obligation on the part of the Center to acknowledge the support, although EICCRP may decide to do so.

Funding: Guiding Principles

EICCRP will foster dialogue and establish collaborative partnerships with companies whose commercial decisions affect the quality of life of European patients. Public interest partnerships involving pharmaceutical companies are sometimes viewed with scepticism by decision-makers and the general public. Some believe that pharmaceutical companies exert excessive control to execute their marketing agenda. In order to protect the Centers’s reputation and demonstrate that EICCRP does not conform to commercial agendas, the Center will do everything within its power to adhere to the following principles when soliciting or accepting project funding, sponsorship, grants or donations from commercial companies:

  • EICCRP will maintain an open and transparent relationship with all commercial partners.
  • Before accepting funding from a commercial company the Center must be satisfied that:
  • There are strong grounds for believing that the donation, grant or sponsorship will result in benefit to the Center and its goals.
  • No adverse publicity will result from accepting the funds.
  • EICCRP will closely review all potential commercial partners’ corporate governance policies, their reputation in working with public interest organizations and their environmental policies and practices. If there is any cause for concern, funds will either be accepted on a ‘no acknowledgement’ basis or the Center will reject the funds.
  • EICCRP will not knowingly accept any type of funding from a company that produces or sells tobacco brands, or receives funding from their sales.
  • EICCRP will not endorse or promote individual products or services.
  • A company’s support will be acknowledged in an appropriate way following discussions with the company concerned.
  • EICCRP will sign a memorandum of agreement with all commercial partners outlining each partner’s contribution and responsibilities. The commercial partner must agree to abide by the guidelines outlined in appendix 1.
  • If a company makes any attempt to coerce the Center to conform to its marketing agenda, either explicitly or implicitly, or does not conform to the agreement, EICCRP will reject the funds or terminate an on-going project.
  • Where possible, EICCRP will solicit funding from consortia composed of two or more companies from the same industry.

Appendix:
GUIDELINES FOR COMMERCIAL COMPANIES ON WORKING WITH EICCRP

The Center will not embark upon or continue with any sponsorship, grant making or collaborative venture that might damage its reputation or result in the dissemination of biased and inaccurate information to the general public and patients. Therefore, when working with the Center, commercial companies should adhere to the following guidelines:

  • The Center must be consulted whenever and wherever its name is used in public. Approval must be sought for any copy produced which refers to a Center initiative supported by a commercial organization.
  • At no time can the Center’s logo be used without express written permission.
  • At no time can press releases be issued which refer to the Center without our prior approval. Likewise, suggested quotes can be prepared but must always be agreed by the Center.
  • The Center retains a veto over all materials produced in connection with an initiative. Adequate approval time needs to be allowed for this as it may require approval from one or more Management members or require feedback from EICCRP’s Scientific Advisory Panel.
  • Whenever it becomes inevitable to refer to a product, any materials produced as part of an initiative will use scientific names, definitions, references and general language that achieves an overall effect of impartiality. The Center retains editorial control over these materials.
  • The Center is happy to work with PR/advertising and marketing agencies of commercial organizations once a project is underway. However in the first instance when a project is being planned or suggested the Center requires a representative from the company to be actively involved as well as the agency.
  • One point of contact should be identified within the company and/or agency to liaise with the appropriate opposite number in the Center. Clear lines of communication need to be established at an early stage with respective responsibilities and assignments agreed to ensure smooth progress with a project.

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