NHS Accepts Millions From Medical Device Companies It Promotes

A new report has revealed the NHS is accepting tens of millions of pounds annually from medical device companies whose products it promotes to patients, highlighting serious potential conflicts of interest. Pharmaceutical companies are giving donations to UK hospitals to pay for staffing, training, and awareness campaigns, while at the same time marketing their products—including heart valves, diagnostic tools, and implants—to NHS trusts. The report, published in the journal Health Policy and Technology, revealed that between 2017 and 2019, the device companies declared giving 425 million euros (£367 million) to health care organisations across Europe. Of the countries which received this funding, the UK received the third highest amount, behind Switzerland—which received by far the most—and Spain....