Ethics and conflict of interest policy

Reporting on medicines regulation means reporting on companies and agencies that may also wish to advertise with us, brief us, or fund our work. This policy sets out how those relationships are managed.

Ownership and funding

Drug Eye Africa is privately owned and editorially independent. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any national medicines regulator or intergovernmental body. No advertiser or funder reviews copy before publication.

Separation of advertising and editorial

Commercial arrangements confer no influence over coverage. No advertiser, sponsor or commercial partner sees an article before publication, is told what we are working on, or is given the opportunity to alter, delay or suppress a story. Advertising a product with us offers no protection from being reported on, and declining to advertise carries no penalty.

Any content that is paid for is labelled as such, unambiguously and at the top, and is visually distinct from editorial. We do not publish paid content that is designed to be mistaken for reporting.

Gifts, hospitality and travel

Staff and contributors do not accept gifts, payments, or hospitality of more than nominal value from any organisation we cover. Where travel or accommodation to attend a conference or facility visit is funded by a third party, that funding is disclosed in any article arising from the trip. Attendance never implies favourable coverage.

Personal and financial conflicts

Contributors disclose to the editor any financial interest, consultancy, employment history or family relationship that could bear on their reporting. Where a conflict is material, the contributor does not cover that subject. Contributors do not trade in the securities of companies they cover.

Relationships with regulators

We report on national medicines regulatory authorities and are independent of all of them. We accept no funding, accreditation or editorial direction from any regulator, and we are not a channel for official communication. Where an agency disputes our reporting, its response is published.

To raise a concern about a conflict of interest, write to info@drugeyeafrica.com.