FOI release

Freedom of Information request on funding from Bill Gates (FOI 22/443)

Published 31 May 2022

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FOI 22/443

10th February 2022

Dear

Thank you for your email.

We do receive funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as other sources outside government such as WHO. This funding mainly supports work to strengthen regulatory systems in other countries.

The majority of our income comes from the pharmaceutical industry through fees. For example, all Marketing Authorisation applicants have to pay a fee. The licensing of medicines is an independent, scientific process which is overseen by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).

The CHM is an independent body which advises on applications for marketing authorisations. This includes considering further representation against our provisional advice in respect of national applications; advises on the need for, and content of, risk management plans for new medicines; advises on the impact of new safety issues on the balance of risks and benefits of licensed medicines – e.g. adding warnings, restricting or suspending use of a medicine and advises the licensing authority on changes to legal status of marketing authorisations.

Please see the links below for further information.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-awarded-over-980000-for-collaboration-with-the-bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation-and-the-world-health-organisation#:~:text=Medicines%2C%20medical%20devices-,MHRA%20awarded%20over%20%C2%A3980%2C000%20for%20collaboration%20with%20the%20Bill,low%20and%20middle%2Dincome%20countries.

The MHRA has received funding from the Gates Foundation in relation to a number of initiatives across the Agency. The current level of grant funding received from the Gates Foundation amounts to approximately $3m and spans across several financial years.

We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. Our Annual report (link below) contains information on page 9 regarding our funding. If you require more details about the level of Government Funding please refer to the financial statements in the Annual report.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/902328/MHRA_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2020.pdf

If you disagree with how we have interpreted the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in answering your request, you can ask for an internal review. Please reply to this email, within two months of this reply, specifying that you would like an Internal Review to be carried out.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you were to remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you would have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Please bear in mind that the Information Commissioner will not normally review our handling of your request unless you have first contacted us to conduct an internal review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

MHRA Customer Experience Centre

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