Guidance on the Interactions between the Medical Technology Industry and Patient Organisations

Patient organisations (PO) and the medical technology industry share the aim of improving the
awareness, prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of disease. It is desirable, therefore,
that these two groups develop appropriate guidelines for interaction that lead to mutual trust and
recognition of shared responsibilities. Both parties have a responsibility to ensure that their
interactions are ethical and transparent, respect the independence of PO, and have the overriding
purpose of improving patient outcomes. This paper aims to establish guidelines on how industry
partners should act in such interactions.