Characteristics of invitees, including participants and those invited that did not participate
| Individuals interviewed (n=27)* | Individuals invited but not participating (n=28) | |
| Invitee’s patient group focus | ||
| General health services | 6 (22.2) | 2 (7.1) |
| Specific disease or health condition | 21 (77.8) | 26 (92.9) |
| Body system of specific health condition | Multisystem 5, musculoskeletal 4, neurological 3, non-specific 3, renal 2, sensorineural 2, dermatological 1, respiratory 1, | Haematological 4, endocrine 4, gastrointestinal 4, mental health 3, multisystem 3, neurological 2, women’s health 2, sensorineural 2, dermatological 1, non-specific 1, respiratory 1, |
| Pathological process of specific health condition | Non-specific 6, degenerative 4, cancer 3, genetic 3, infective 2, inflammatory 1, immunological 1, other pathological processes 1 | Non-specific 9, cancer 5, inflammatory 4, genetic 5, infective 3 |
| Invitee’s patient group geographical jurisdiction | ||
| National | 15 (55.6) | 19 (67.8) |
| Regional† | 12 (44.4) | 9 (32.1) |
| Level of pharmaceutical industry funding ($A) | ||
| Top quartile ($A103 001**−$A4 107 981)‡ | 13 (48.1) | 15 (53.6) |
| Mid to lowest quartiles ($A<80–$A103 000)‡ | 4 (14.8) | 4 (14.3) |
| No pharmaceutical industry funding§ | 10 (37.0) | 9 (32.1) |
| Participant role in group | ||
| Staff-CEO (including acting) | 19 (70.4) | NA |
| Staff, other¶ | 4 (14.8) | NA |
| Board member | 4 (14.8) | NA |
Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise.30
*The four groups from which two participants were interviewed had the following characteristics: (1): general consumer health focus, regional group, no pharmaceutical industry funding; (2,3): disease-specific focus, national group, top-quartile pharmaceutical industry funding; (4) disease specific focus, regional group, mid-quartile funding.
†Regional groups are based in specific Australian states or territories and serve members living within those regions; most are affiliated with a national group with the same health focus but have separate funding sources.
‡Group’s position in list of patient groups that received money from the pharmaceutical industry, as listed in our database of funding disclosed by Medicines Australia members during the years 2013–2016 inclusive.
§Not listed on our database of disclosed pharmaceutical funding of consumer health groups and no obvious declaration of pharmaceutical funding on group website.
¶Research manager, secretary, fundraising manager.
**£54 300; €63 600‡£54 300; €63 600.
CEO, Chief Executive Officer; NA, not applicable.