The GLCC
The GLCC is the international 'voice' of lung cancer patients. Established in 2001, the GLCC comprises 20 non-government patient organisations from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK and US.
The GLCC is committed to improving disease outcomes for all lung cancer patients and aims to address the following issues:
- place lung cancer on the global healthcare agenda
- change public perceptions and lessen the stigma of lung cancer
- empower lung cancer patients to take an active role in their care
- effect change in legislative or regulatory policies to optimise treatment and care
Press materials for this campaign are available within the Press and Conference Reports section.
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Policy on Funding Arrangements with Commercial Companies
Introduction
The Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC) welcomes corporate donations, grants and sponsorship to fund certain projects and to enable the Coalition to grow and develop. This document outlines GLCC’s policy on commercial funding and provides a set of principles that will be used to guide GLCC’s decisions. It does not set out to provide a definition of every possible funding opportunity. This policy will apply to all potential relations with any company from any industry.
This policy is based on the UK Breast Cancer Coalition’s Policy Paper on Funding Arrangements with Commercial/Corporate Organizations, EURORDIS’s policy on corporate sponsorship, the European Cancer Patient Coalition’s policy and the recommendations of the UK’s Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance.
Purpose of Policy
- To ensure that GLCC has a consistent and transparent approach to working with commercial companies.
- To ensure the Coalition maintains its independence from commercial influences.
- To clarify GLCC's position to its member organizations, commercial companies and the wider public.
- To provide clear direction for the Coalition's Steering Group Members, enabling them to instigate relations with commercial companies with the full backing of the Coalition, but without the constant need for approval from all of its members.
GLCC’s Steering Group Members are expected to adhere to the policy that may be revised over time as circumstances demand.
Funding: Categories
There are four different funding categories, including:
Project funding is where the Coalition will establish a collaborative partnership with a commercial company to undertake a project relating to an issue of mutual interest. The following features will apply to this relationship:
- GLCC maintains editorial control over all materials produced in connection with the project
- The company will have representation on the project steering committee
- The sponsor’s logo is used
- GLCC will not endorse or promote individual products or services .
- The wording and/or position of the credit will be agreed in negotiations with the company
- GLCC and the commercial partners will both benefit from the relationship
Sponsorship is where a company funds a single activity such as a meeting or newsletter. In this case the following will apply:
- The company has no involvement in the activity for which the sponsorship is granted
- GLCC maintains editorial control over all materials or meeting programmes
- GLCC will not endorse or promote the sponsor’s products or services .
- The sponsor’s logo is used
- The wording and/or position of the credit are part of the sponsorship negotiations with the company.
- GLCC and the commercial partners will both benefit from the relationship.
Unrestricted grants are defined where all of the following apply:
- The company has no involvement in the project for which the grant is used .
- The grant will be acknowledged
- The company’s logo is not used
- The Coalition controls the wording and position of the credit
Companies may offer financial donations and in-kind support to the Coalition however there is no obligation on the part of the Coalition to acknowledge the support, although GLCC may decide to do so
Sustaining Partners
GLCC Sustaining Partners are commercial companies that want to establish a long-term relationship with the Coalition and wish to demonstrate their commitment to lung cancer patients by helping GLCC promote global understanding of the burden of lung cancer and the right of patients to effective early detection, better treatment and supportive care.
A Sustaining Partner that donates a grant of £30,000 or more per year receives:
- Recognition as a Sustaining Partner on the GLCC Web-site
- Link from GLCC web-site to your corporate web-site
- Opportunity to meet the GLCC leadership at an annual patient-industry summit to discuss issues of concern to both commercial organisations and cancer patients
- Opportunity to propose collaborative projects which will have priority status over those proposed by non-Sustaining Partners
- Regular e-mail updates on GLCC’s activities
Funding: Guiding Principles
GLCC will foster dialogue, and establish collaborative partnerships, with the many companies whose commercial decisions affect the chance of survival and quality of life of lung cancer patients. Patient organization-pharmaceutical company partnerships are sometimes viewed with skepticism by decision-makers and the general public. Some believe that pharmaceutical companies coerce patient organizations into conforming to their marketing agenda. In order to protect the Coalition’s reputation and demonstrate that GLCC does not conform to commercial agendas, the Coalition will adhere to the following principles when accepting or soliciting or accepting project funding, sponsorship, grants or donations from commercial companies:
- GLCC will maintain an open and transparent relationship with all commercial partners.
- Before accepting funding from a commercial company the Steering Group must be satisfied that:
- There are strong grounds for believing the donation; grant or sponsorship will result in benefit to the Coalition and its members.
- No adverse publicity will result from accepting the funds.
- GLCC will closely review all potential commercial partners’ corporate governance policies, their reputation in working with patient organizations and their environmental policies and practices. If there is any cause for concern, funds will either be accepted on a ‘no acknowledgment’ basis or the Coalition will reject the funds.
- GLCC will not knowingly accept any type of funding from a company that produces or sells tobacco brands, or receives funding from their sales.
- GLCC will not endorse or promote individual products or services.
- A company's support will be acknowledged in an appropriate way following discussions with the company concerned.
- GLCC commercial partners must agree to abide with the guidelines outlined in appendix 1.
- If a company makes any attempt to coerce the Coalition to conform to its marketing agenda, either explicitly or implicitly, or does not conform to the memorandum of agreement, GLCC will reject the funds or terminate an on-going project.
Where possible, GLCC will solicit funding from consortia composed of two or more companies from the same industry.
Appendix 1
GUIDELINES FOR COMMERCIAL COMPANIES ON WORKING WITH GLCC
The Coalition will not embark upon or continue with any sponsorship, grant making or collaborative venture that might damage its reputation or result in the dissemination of biased and inaccurate information to the general public and cancer patients. Therefore, when working with the Coalition, commercial companies should adhere to the following guidelines:
- The Coalition must be consulted whenever and wherever its name is used, particularly in external communications. Approval must be sought for any copy produced which refers to a Coalition initiative supported by a commercial organization.
- At no time can the Coalition's logo be used without express written permission.
- At no time can press releases be issued which refer to the Coalition without our prior approval. Likewise suggested quotes can be prepared but must always be agreed by the Steering Group.
- The Coalition retains a veto over all materials produced in connection with an initiative. Adequate approval time needs to be allowed for this as it may require approval from one or more Steering Group Members.
- Where more than one branded version of a product exists, any materials produced, as part of an initiative will use either the scientific name or several different brand names. It may not be practicable to mention every brand at every stage in a publication but overall the effect will be one of impartiality.
- The Coalition is happy to work with PR/advertising and marketing agencies of commercial organizations once a project is underway. However in the first instance when a project is being planned or suggested the Coalition requires a representative from the company to be present as well as the agency.
- One point of contact should be identified within the company and/or agency to liaise with the appropriate opposite number in the Coalition. Clear lines of communication need to be established at an early stage with respective responsibilities and assignments agreed to ensure smooth progress with a project.
Sustaining Partners 2007
Statement of Purpose
By serving as the international voice of lung cancer patients, the Global Lung Cancer Coalition is committed to improving disease outcomes for all. It will focus its programmatic efforts around four key areas:
- Placing lung cancer squarely on the global health agenda
- Lessening the stigma of lung cancer among patients, their families, their health care providers, policy makers, and the general public
- Empowering lung cancer patients and their loved ones to take a more active role in their care
- Effecting change in relevant legislative and regulatory policies to optmise treatment and care of lung cancer patients
The Global Lung Cancer Coalition will accomplish its mission by ensuring that policy makers, medical professionals, the media, and the general public recognize the serious nature of lung cancer and the need for immediate action to meet patients’ needs.
The strength of the Coalition rests in the commitment and influence of its members.
The Global Lung Cancer Coalition is committed to increasing awareness and destigmatising the disease amongst patients, the medical community, policy makers, the general public and the media, by delivering highest quality information and programmes through its member groups, including treatment information.
Click here to read the Global Lung Cancer Coalition Patient Charter, an affirmation by all the member organisations of the basic rights that all lung cancer patients should be granted.
Member Organisations
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