Walk
Around the World for Brain Tumours
(1 Jan to 5 Nov 2011)
and the
International Brain Tumour Awareness Week
(30 Oct to 5 Nov 2011)
(1 Jan to 5 Nov 2011)
and the
International Brain Tumour Awareness Week
(30 Oct to 5 Nov 2011)
Greater Collaboration Greater Knowledge Greater Hope
Sponsorship
Policy
The International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA) seeks to achieve a wider public understanding of the specific challenges faced by patients (and their families and caregivers) living with a central nervous system tumour. The IBTA advocates for equal access to clinically effective treatments.
To this end, we welcome financial support from individuals, pharmaceutical companies, private industry, businesses and other organisations. (A list of organizations that have recently given grants to the IBTA appears at the end of this document).
Regardless of the sources of its funding, the IBTA’s projects are totally independent and uninfluenced by those sources so that the integrity of our work remains beyond question.
With specific regard to pharmaceutical industry funding, we endeavour to accept unrestricted grants from multiple companies where feasible. However, in certain circumstances this may not be possible and funding for a project may come from just one company. In this situation, our independence will be maintained just as it is when working with a group of sponsors, whether pharmaceutical companies or others. Brain tumours have hitherto constituted an “orphan” disease in a general sense with very few companies or research institutions involved in actively pursuing promising new therapies.
Furthermore, we are strongly committed to the principle that brain tumour patients should have equal access to the most effective, up-to-date treatments available for their disease. Therefore, we feel that it is within our remit both to advocate for a clinically efficacious treatment (whether it is a single technology or used in combination with others) and accept pharmaceutical (or other industry) funding towards this end if our objectives coincide with those of the donor.
No matter what the source of its funding, the IBTA retains copyright and full editorial control over all its publications, projects and printed materials. This also applies when working with PR, advertising and marketing agencies employed by pharmaceutical companies or participating in any public media campaigns regarding issues of relevance and importance to brain tumour patients, families and carers.
The IBTA welcomes the ABPI Code of Practice (effective in the UK), the CHF/MA Working Together Guide and Manual (effective in Australia) and other relevant national industry-patient guidelines and endeavours to work within their recommendations. Where required by the UK ABPI Code of Practice materials produced by the IBTA may be subject to the pharmaceutical company certification process. In such cases alterations may only be suggested to ensure the materials comply with the Code of Practice. Any such ABPI recommended alterations will not jeopardise the editorial independence of the IBTA.
Companies’ sponsorship, whether pharmaceutical or otherwise, will be acknowledged appropriately and the organisations will be kept regularly informed of the progress of the initiative they are supporting. The welfare of and optimal treatment for brain tumour patients remains our primary focus and concern so that ultimately, every brain tumour patient will be able to access the highest possible standard of care.
At the same time, transparency is fundamental to any funds that are accepted by the IBTA to ensure that government, the public, industry, and above all patients and their caregivers, are fully aware of any commercial arrangement that the IBTA has negotiated
During 2005 to 2011, the IBTA
accepted financial
support and support in kind either directly or as part of a wider
grouping of
patient organisations, from the following companies and organisations:
Antisense Pharma, Archimedes, Ark Therapeutics, Astra Zeneca,
Boehringer Ingelheim, Brain Tumor
Resource and Information Network, Crusade, Dijon Designs, Eli Lilly
(Global), Elekta, The Gosling Foundation, Link Pharmaceuticals, Merck
Serono, MGI
Pharma, MSD Oncology, NeoPharm,
Neuroendoscopy, Novartis Oncology,
NovoCure, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Pfizer Inc, Schering-Plough
(Global), Spink, Vane Percy, and the
Wallerstein Foundation.