Full Breakdown
Royal College of Pharmacy Ends Teva UK Sponsorship Amid Ethical Review
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Decision
The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCP), the professional body for Britain’s 34,000 pharmacists, announced that it will no longer accept Teva UK as a sponsor or exhibitor at its forthcoming annual conference. The move, described as “effective immediately,” follows a “due-diligence review” that raised concerns about unspecified Teva Pharmaceuticals activities that the college says do not align with its values. The decision comes after the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) cut its own ties with Teva UK the previous week.
Background and Context
Pro-Palestine campaigners, organized through UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges (UKHPRC), circulated an open letter urging the RCP to apply the same ethical scrutiny it used in 2022 when the Royal Pharmaceutical Society stopped investing in Russian-linked funds. The letter highlighted Teva’s controversial history, including a €462.6 million fine by the European Commission in 2024 for anticompetitive practices with its multiple-sclerosis drug Copaxone, a $225 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023 over price-fixing, and a $519 million settlement in 2016 for bribery in Russia, Ukraine and Mexico.
Key Figures
- Dr Barrak Almoosawi – NHS doctor and organiser of the UKHPRC open letter.
- RCP spokesperson – Unnamed representative who communicated the college’s decision after its charitable status change in April prompted a policy review.
- Teva UK – British arm of the global generic-drug manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Official Statements & Responses
The RCP spokesperson said the college’s executive team acted on the due-diligence findings, emphasizing that sponsorship must reflect the organization’s values.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nursing and pharmacy have acted; those still taking Teva’s money can no longer shelter behind the excuse that nothing can be done. A royal crest carries standing. It should never serve as a fig leaf for a failure of moral courage.” — Dr Barrak Almoosawi, an NHS doctor and an organiser of the letter
*The RCP’s action follows a broader push by UK health professionals to ensure that commercial partnerships do not conflict with ethical standards, signaling a shift in how UK royal colleges evaluate sponsorships.*