The research-based pharmaceutical industry is committed to supporting healthcare and research organisations to drive improvements in patient care and help achieve the best results for patients and the NHS.

One of the ways to do this is by providing Medical and Educational Goods and Services (MEGS) to organisations comprised of health professionals or organisations or both which provide healthcare or conduct research.

MEGS are often provided in the form of financial grants or services delivered by an industry partner or a third-party supplier engaged by a pharmaceutical company. MEGS are intended to either enhance patient care or benefit the NHS and maintain patient care.

Involvement of a pharmaceutical company is strictly limited to the provision or delivery of the MEGS grant or service. Companies receive no direct benefit in return.

MEGS do not constitute an inducement to prescribe, supply, administer, recommend, buy or sell any medicine.

Examples of MEGS Agreements include (but are not restricted to):

• Donations
• Grants
• ‘Benefits in Kind’ (for example: secondments, people, education)

Common goals of MEGS agreements are often to:

• Improve patient access to a service Deliver efficiencies in the pathway
• Improve patient experience
• Reduce service costs
• Integrate technology to improve efficiencies or experience

Information on MEGS is contained within the ABPI Code of Practice and can be explored in interactive form on the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) website¹.

1 http://www.pmcpa.org.uk

Related content in this section:

• Joint Working - a toolkit for industry and the NHS
• Routes to Cross-Sector Working
• Joint Working: A ten-step process
• Legal considerations: regarding Joint Working
• Appendix 1: Joint Working Case Studies
• Appendix 2: Clinical trials collaboration
• Appendix 3: Medical and Educational Goods and Services (MEGS)
• Appendix 4: Cross-sector working at ICS/STP level
• Appendix 5: Working with patient organisations