Full Breakdown
Royal College of Nursing Terminates Commercial Ties with Teva UK
By Drooid · · How we work
RCN Ends Partnership with Teva UK
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), representing more than 500,000 UK nurses, announced that it is ending its commercial partnership with Teva UK, the British arm of pharmaceutical group Teva Pharmaceuticals. The decision removes Teva UK as a sponsor of the RCNi nursing leadership summit on migraine and headache services scheduled for 30 October 2026. The move follows pressure from pro-Palestine campaign groups, including Nurses for Palestine and the UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges (UKHPRC).
Background: Legal Issues and Campaign Pressure
Teva has faced multiple enforcement actions over the past decade. The European Commission imposed a €462.6 million fine in 2024 for anticompetitive practices that blocked rivals from the Copaxone multiple-sclerosis market in seven European countries. In 2023 the U.S. Department of Justice secured a $225 million settlement for price-fixing of three drugs. Earlier, in 2016 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice reached a $519 million agreement to resolve bribery charges involving officials in Russia, Ukraine and Mexico. Campaigners argued that Teva’s links to the Israeli military and alleged involvement in state actions deemed violations of international law added ethical concerns to the commercial relationship.
Official Statements & Responses
UKHPRC’s spokesperson described continued corporate ties with companies linked to alleged crimes against humanity as “unthinkable.”
Data & Statistics
- €462.6 million fine by the European Commission (2024) for antitrust violations.
- $225 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (2023) for price-fixing.
- $519 million settlement with U.S. regulators (2016) for bribery in Russia, Ukraine and Mexico.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We know how important it is that the RCN only enters commercial relationships with companies that represent the values of the nursing profession.” — Teva
- “It is unthinkable that in this day and age healthcare organisations continue to enter into commercial relationships with companies linked to sustaining state systems accused or found by international bodies to involve grave violations of international law, including crimes against humanity, apartheid and genocide.” — UKHPRC, spokesperson