HAI Europe finds that European Medicines Agency has failed on transparency monitoring and enforcement

Based on the findings of research conducted by Health Action International (HAI) Europe on the levels of financial disclosure and transparency among patient and consumer organizations at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), HAI Europe concludes that the "EMEA appears to have failed in the monitoring and enforcement of its guidelines on financial transparency."

In 2005, the EMEA established guidelines requiring financial disclosure and transparency from patient and consumer organizations involved as political stakeholders and experts in the work of the Agency. These "Criteria to be fulfilled by Patients' and Consumers' Organizations involved in EMEA Activities" require organizations to disclose their financial data, including the names of income sources, and the relation of those financial contributions to the organizations' operating budget.

In its study, HAI Europe examined the financial disclosure practices of patients' and consumers' organizations working with EMEA as well as the nature of organizations' sponsorship between 2006 and 2008.