Reasonable agreements between patient advocacy and the pharmaceutical industry

The collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and patient advocates often requires both parties to sign contracts, e.g. in the form of speaker’s agreements, consultancy or collaboration contracts. They define the terms and conditions of the collaboration e.g. confidentiality, intellectual property, copyright, data protection, compensation and other responsibilities of both parties.

However, these contracts are often too long, difficult to understand for patient advocates, contain ambiguous clauses, or even contain terms that are in conflict with the very nature of patient advocacy, or put the signing patient advocate at legal risk. 

MPE, in collaboration with other patient organisations, is conducting a project to analyse legal agreements of pharmaceutical companies with patient advocates. The project will make suggestions for simpler, more understandable agreements that would sufficiently reflect and protect the interests of both parties.

This survey is now asking you for your perspective and experience as a patient advocate based on consultancy, collaboration, advisory board and speaker agreements, but excludes contacts on funding, grants and sponsoring. We would be grateful for your input. Thank you!