Novo Nordisk’s participation in private healthcare meeting at Steno Diabetes Center raises ethical concerns in Denmark

In September last year, healthcare professionals gathered for a private morning meeting at Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen. However, it was revealed that pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk was allowed to participate in this internal meeting. Documents indicate that three employees from the company presented information about “new medications” to the hospital staff, making Novo Nordisk the only pharmaceutical company to have done so since the hospital became publicly operated seven years ago.

This raises significant concerns regarding the independence of Steno, which was established as a public hospital. Karsten Juhl Jørgensen, a professor, expressed worries about public institutions preferentially serving private companies, implying it could give Novo Nordisk products an unfair advantage.

He also noted that the participants from Novo Nordisk were not researchers but individuals working in sales and marketing, prompting deeper concerns. Rasmus Køster-Rasmussen, a general practitioner and lecturer, echoed this sentiment, stating such an arrangement would be unacceptable in most other settings and highlighted the conflict of interest given Steno’s established role in diabetes treatment in Denmark.

The participation coincided with Novo Nordisk’s substantial influence and funding over the hospital, having previously owned it until its transfer to the regional government in 2016, with stipulations for impartiality at that time. In light of the recent event, Steno has changed its policies to prohibit pharmaceutical companies from attending such meetings in the future.

Novo Nordisk has maintained that its collaboration with healthcare professionals aims to exchange knowledge for improved patient care and that it adheres to industry ethical regulations.