FONDATION RENE TOURAINE’S (FRT) TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT
Policy on Financial Support by Commercial Companies
FRT is officially recognised for its public utility. According to French law, that statute of «public utility» for a Foundation implies that there are no relations of subordination between the Foundation and the companies that are founding members.
The Foundation is steered by an Administration Board, advised by a Founders College and a Scientific Board constituted of European leading professors of dermatology.
FRT supports the improvement of quality access to skin care through actions gathering dermatologists, researchers, pharmaceutical industries, health authorities and patient associations. FRT aims thus to connect people in order to improve health care access and quality. Because FRT aims to connect all these instigators of therapeutic progress, it is therefore bound to attract the attention of companies which are particularly willing to commit in fostering the development of clinical and therapeutic research in dermatology.
The main actions of the Foundation include:
- research fellowships,
- an annual high-level symposium on a different skin cell,
- a prestigious lecture at ESDR (European Society of Dermatological Research),
- a reference book on the management of skin diseases available for free on the web,
- the development and animation of international networks focusing on improving access and quality of skin care, such as Together Against Genodermatoses and Psoriasis International Network.
FRT funding allocated for operating costs comes from different resources, none of them incurring a conflict of interest. A 1,5 million euro endowment was gathered by 11 industries 20 years ago, enabling the creation of FRT. Although, these companies are represented at the Founders College and can make proposals regarding the the different activities of the Foundation, these are submitted to the approval of the Boards of Directors and no tangible counterparts were established.
The core activities of FRT are thus funded by the income generated by the endowment, as well as by other private sector and non-profit organisations’ grants. Pharmaceutical companies are indeed solicited for contribution for punctual activities. The commented bibliography published every year for the scientific meeting organised by FRT on a different skin cell function is sponsored by all members of the College Founders in equal share. Also, the International Congress on Psoriasis, organised by the FRT every 3 years, generates a relevant income to the Psoriasis International Network action (registration fees and congress sponsoring). Essential to the financial support of the activities undertaken within the Together Against Genodermatoses action is the EU grant awarded in 2008 (TAG agreement 2007 335). Other operating costs of this network (salaries and meetings) are also supported by other private-sector and non-profit organisations’ grants. Besides associating the logo of the partner industry and acknowledging their contribution to the different projects and activities, no merchant counterparts are involved.
Grants given by commercial companies are allocated to cover operational costs (salaries, stationary, communications and website maintenance) and are inscribed in a more global partnership, where the grant aims to support the development of cooperation networks, training activities, clinical and therapeutic research and improvement of skin care management.
Every year, the latest financial report is published on FRT’s website.
