Drug companies told that sponsoring patients' groups might help win approval for their products

The Australian pharmaceutical industry is giving its members new advice on how to work more closely with the health charity sector and benefit from increased sponsorship of patients' groups.

The new guide says that companies that sponsor non-profit groups might find that it increases their chances of getting approval for their drugs in the government's pharmaceutical benefits scheme. Under the scheme, the government substantially subsidises the prices to consumers.

The Australian Consumers Association has expressed alarm at the development. The association's health spokeswoman, Lisa Tait, said that the association was worried that drug companies would use patients' groups to lobby …