Key facts
- The Royal College of Pharmacy dropped Teva UK as a sponsor for its annual conference.
- Teva UK had a £15,000 deal to exhibit at four Royal College of Pharmacy events.
- The Royal College of Pharmacy cited unspecified Teva Pharmaceuticals activities not aligning with its values after a due diligence review.
- The Royal College of Nursing, representing 500,000 nurses, previously ended ties with Teva UK.
- Teva Pharmaceuticals was fined €462.6m by the European Commission in 2024 for blocking competition for its drug Copaxone.
- Teva paid $225m in fines in 2023 to the US Department of Justice for drug price fixing.
- Teva paid $519m in 2016 to settle US charges involving bribery in Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico.
The Royal College of Pharmacy has decided to end its sponsorship and exhibition agreement with Teva UK, the British arm of Teva Pharmaceuticals, following pressure from pro-Palestine campaigners. This decision mirrors that of the Royal College of Nursing, which last week severed its longstanding ties with the drug firm.
The professional body for Britain's 34,000 pharmacists stated that a due diligence review uncovered potential Teva Pharmaceuticals activities that did not align with its values. The college's spokesperson indicated that the executive team made the decision after the organization became a charity in April, prompting a review of its policies.
Campaigners, including UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges (UKHPRC), had urged the Royal College of Pharmacy to apply the same ethical scrutiny to its commercial partnerships as it did to its investments following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. UKHPRC welcomed the decisions by both the Royal College of Pharmacy and the RCN, expressing hope that it reflects the ethical concerns expected of healthcare professionals.
Teva UK was set to be an exhibitor at four of the Royal College of Pharmacy's events as part of a £15,000 deal. The company, which specializes in generic drugs, has faced multiple legal and regulatory actions. In 2024, the European Commission fined Teva €462.6 million for blocking competition for its multiple sclerosis treatment, Copaxone. In 2023, Teva agreed to pay $225 million in fines to the US Department of Justice for price fixing, and in 2016, it paid $519 million to settle charges related to bribery in Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico.