The Royal Colleges and Sunshine Legislation

[No response received by the end of 2018]

[Despite repeated polite reminders there has been no response from the General Medical Council by the end of 2018]

“The Royal College of Surgeons of England has tended to defer to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) on this issue who can represent the collective view of medical royal colleges. There have already been voluntary moves to improve transparency around payments to healthcare professionals which the Academy has been involved in. As a College we generally support transparency in healthcare and with the AoMRC we would be happy to review any proposed wording of sunshine legislation if it were introduced to the UK.” [30 November 2018]

“The Royal College of Physicians has discussed this issue and we do not oppose a move towards more transparency regarding relationships between pharma and clinicians. However, we believe there are more pressing issues that require legislation at the moment and as parliamentary time is very limited due to Brexit are only adopting a formal position of support for those (e.g. regulation of Physician Associates, Minimum Unit Price for alcohol).” [16 November 2018]

“. . . at present the Royal College of General Practitioners do not feel able to support an initiative that would make such registration mandatory” [8 November 2018]

[The Royal College of Psychiatrists are of the view] “that this is a matter for the Government to decide” [22 October 2018]

“The Royal College of Pathologists has not formally considered this legislation.” [19 November 2018]

[The Faculty of Public Health] is “canvassing the views of it’s committee leads” [28 November 2018]

“The Royal College of Anesthetists would support all efforts that bring more transparency and rigour in processes and dealings, financial or otherwise.” [27 November 2018]

“The Royal Society of Medicine is an independent and apolitical organisation and as such we do not get involved in legislative issues” [13 November 2018]

“The Science Media Centre is a press office embedded within the mainstream scientific community; we focus on the news media and encouraging scientists and journalists to work together. Our declaration of interests policy is based on those of others in the community. Should members of the scientific community change their policies then we would adapt accordingly.” [18 October 2018]