A second major UK health body has severed ties with an Israeli drug firm following pressure from pro-Palestine campaigners. The Royal College of Pharmacy has decided to end its sponsorship agreement with Teva UK, the British arm of Teva Pharmaceuticals, ahead of its annual conference next month.

Background

This decision follows the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) announcement last week to cut its longstanding ties with Teva UK. The RCN, which represents 500,000 UK nurses, ended its sponsorship with Teva for both the union and an event focused on headache and migraine treatments.

The Royal College of Pharmacy, representing 34,000 pharmacists in Britain, stated that Teva UK was scheduled to exhibit at four of its events as part of a £15,000 deal. A spokesperson for the college explained that the decision was made after a due diligence review revealed that certain activities of Teva Pharmaceuticals did not align with the college's values.

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"The Royal College of Pharmacy has decided to end Teva UK’s current sponsorship and exhibition presence for our forthcoming annual conference with immediate effect. This follows a further due diligence review which has brought to our attention the possibility of certain Teva Pharmaceuticals activities which do not align with our values," the spokesperson said.

Concerns Raised

While the college did not specify which activities raised concerns, it noted that the decision was made by its executive team after the organization became a charity in April, prompting a review of its policies. Teva, known for producing generic drugs, has faced scrutiny for its corporate practices.