Collaboration between patient organisations and pharma companies: insights from Poland

Background

Collaboration between patient organisations and pharmaceutical companies plays an increasing role in public health governance, shaping advocacy agendas and priority-setting. While these partnerships provide essential resources, they also raise concerns about conflicts of interest and industry influence. Existing research has focused mainly on Western contexts, with limited evidence from post-communist countries.

Methods

This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with leaders of patient organisations in Poland. Interviews explore funding structures, initiation of cooperation, decision-making processes, everyday practices, perceived benefits and risks, and approaches to transparency and conflict of interest. Data are analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Preliminary findings indicate that patient organisations rely on pharmaceutical industry funding while simultaneously recognising the controversies associated with such collaboration. Organisations develop diverse strategies to manage potential conflicts of interest. These approaches vary considerably between organisations. Findings also suggest that transparency is inconsistently understood and often undervalued as a tool for addressing conflict of interest.

Conclusions

This study provides one of the first qualitative insights into industry–patient organisation relationships in a Central and Eastern European context. The findings contribute to ongoing debates on transparency and governance, offering evidence relevant for policy and regulatory discussions.

Key messages

• This study reveals how patient organisations in Poland navigate collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting varied strategies to manage conflicts of interest and ensure independence.

• Findings highlight gaps in transparency and governance, offering evidence to inform policies that strengthen accountability in patient organisation–industry collaboration.