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Code of Practice

The Bladder and Bowel Foundation (B&BF) is a patient led organisation, governed by a Board of Trustees and is totally independent of any other organisation. Its strategic goals are based on patient need and the provision of unbiased up to date support and information.

B&BF believes it is important to establish mutually beneficial partnerships with corporate organisations in order to enhance communication between the patients, whom B&BF represents, and the organisations, whose decisions will affect the standard and availability of treatments and products and the provision of care for patients and those people that have bladder and bowel disorders.

B&BF relies soley on the financial support of companies, individuals and grants to fund its work, with the vast majority of funding being made available from the corporate sector. This funding supports core services and individual projects.

B&BF's relationship with its corporate partners and other organisations

Any relationship between B&BF and its corporate partners and any other potential partner organisation, commercial or otherwise, should be based on an equal partnership. Both sides must be prepared to move beyond a situation in which B&BF is the passive recipient of money to one in which the two work together on practical initiatives or projects and policy development, in the interests of all the member organisations.

Each party should remember that successful partnerships are those where both partners gain by making the effort to understand the internal culture and external pressures of the other.

B&BF recognises that its corporate partners have to be profitable and have their own commercial aims to which B&BF is not obliged to conform. Funding will be declined if its application comprises the independence of B&BF in any way.

Any relationship with B&BF should be based on mutual respect, accountability and transparency.

Details of financial support of any kind from corporate partners or other organisations will appear on relevant communications information , educational resources, website sections and in B&BF's Annual Report and Accounts

Funding

B&BF will use available funding so long as its independence is not compromised in any way; there is no conflict of interest and for as long as the relationship with the funder is transparent and ethical.

Contracts between the parties help in this respect.

B&BF will not participate in relationships designed to give one company competitive advantage over another and favours the use of funding consortia of two or more companies from the same or other industries

Joint research initiatives must ensure that independence is not unwittingly eroded.

B&BF accepts funding from its corporate partners when:

It believes that such funding will benefit B&BF's strategic goals and in turn bring benefits to its consumers.

It is satisfied that accepting the funds will not court adverse publicity.

The funder does not try to coerce or over-influence B&BF's policy either explicitly or implicitly.

The details of any funding and its sources are made freely available upon request. (The Annual Report and Accounts can be viewed at www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org).

B&BF expects its funders to adhere to relevant company, national and international codes of conduct, including the publication of their support for B&BF.

Product Endorsement

B&BF's name must not be used to imply approval or endorsement of any of the funder's products or treatments.

B&BF encourages research into new treatments and best use of existing therapies. However, it endorses no individual treatment over others.

We encourage active partnerships between patients, carers,health professionals and industry and discussion of all available options to promote informed choice by the patient.

Where medication exists in more than one version we encourage the use, in communications by B&BF with patients, of either the scientific name or the several different brand names. All publications and information produced by B&BF will show impartiality.

B&BF supports the proper licensing of medicines and believes that the marketing of non-drug treatments to the public should adhere to a similar standard.

Registered Charity Number: 1085095