European Medicines Agency is attacked over proposal to allow technology assessment bodies to sell advice to drug industry

The European Medicines Agency has been criticised over its plan to allow health technology assessment bodies to provide confidential advice to drug companies in exchange for fees. A coalition of medicine advocates denounced the practice, which they said was a clear conflict of interest.

The agency has provided scientific advice to the drug industry for a fee since 2005. A “basic fee” in 2014 for an initial request for scientific advice on safety and clinical development is €83 600 (£66 000; $113 170). In 2010 a pilot project started that allowed health technology assessment bodies to also give advice to drug companies when they were at an early stage of developing a drug. And in May this year the agency released for public consultation draft guidance to extend this parallel scientific advice.1 The consultation process ended on 14 July.

Health Action International Europe, the International Society of Drug Bulletins, the Medicines in Europe Forum, and the …