Commercial partnerships in chronic disease management: Proceeding with caution
Greenhalgh T., Herxheimer A., Isaacs AJ., Beaman M., Morris J., Farrow S.
Commercial companies, especially the manufacturers of drugs and medicines, increasingly seek to work in collaboration with NHS service providers to manage particular diseases or problems. With such relations there are risks, but also potential benefits, and it may be more realistic to require all parties to be explicit about their potential conflicts of interest than to impose a blanket ban on negotiations. One London health authority developed and used a set of standards for collaborating with the commercial sector in 'managed care' initiatives. The draft proposals could be used with a view to developing definitive guidance for health authorities, primary care groups, and trusts when considering such collaborative relations.