Royal College of Nursing drops Teva UK as commercial partner after campaign pressure
The Royal College of Nursing has ended its commercial partnership with Teva UK, the British arm of the Israeli drugmaker, after pressure from pro-Palestine groups. The RCN cited due diligence on Teva's legal sanctions; Teva said it was disappointed and that healthcare had been politicised.
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The story, neutrally told
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the UK nursing union, has ended its commercial partnership with Teva UK, the British arm of the Israeli drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals. The GuardianLC “The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has axed Teva UK as a commercial partner and as sponsor of a forthcoming event on migraine and headaches at the union’s London headquarters.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “Teva UK, the British arm of drug giant Teva Pharmaceuticals, was cut as a commercial partner by the Royal College of Nursing” Read at Arab News ↗ Teva UK will no longer sponsor the RCNi nursing leadership summit on migraine and headache services on 30 October 2026, which will go ahead as planned. The GuardianLC “The event will go ahead as planned,” she said.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “Teva UK will no longer be a sponsor of the RCNi nursing leadership summit: migraine and headache services event on Oct. 30.” Read at Arab News ↗ Carmel O’Boyle, chair of the RCN's ruling council, confirmed the decision in a letter to the campaign group Nurses for Palestine. The GuardianLC “Carmel O’Boyle, the chair of the RCN’s ruling council, confirmed the decision in a letter to Nurses for Palestine.” Read at The Guardian ↗
She said further due diligence showed that a number of Teva Pharmaceuticals’ operations, which have been the subject of legal sanction and public scrutiny, are not in line with the values of RCNi, the union's publishing and education arm, and of the RCN. The GuardianLC “further due diligence showed that there are a number of Teva Pharmaceuticals’ operations, which have been the subject of legal sanction and public scrutiny, which are not in line with RCNi” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “We know how important it is that the RCN only enters commercial relationships with companies that represent the values of the nursing profession.” Read at Arab News ↗ The Guardian's headline summary and Arab News, which relayed the Guardian's report, say the move was over Teva's links to Israel's military and its corporate misconduct record; the quoted RCN letter itself refers only to legal sanctions and public scrutiny and does not mention Israel. The GuardianLC “Britain’s nursing union has cut its ties with an Israeli drug company over the firm’s links to the country’s military and track record of corporate misconduct.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “over its links to the Israel Defense Forces and record of corporate misconduct, The Guardian reported on Friday.” Read at Arab News ↗ The RCN acted after pressure from Nurses for Palestine and UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges (UKHPRC). The RCN represents more than 500,000 nurses, and Teva is one of the biggest suppliers of medicines to the NHS. The GuardianLC “It acted after coming under pressure from campaign groups Nurses for Palestine and UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges (UKHPRC) to end its relationship with Teva UK.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “More than 500,000 nurses in the UK are represented by the RCN.” Read at Arab News ↗
The campaigners called the decision “a major breakthrough for grassroots healthcare organising and the international boycott, divestment and sanctions movement”. A Nurses for Palestine spokesperson said Teva has no place sponsoring professional bodies dedicated to healing, care and preserving human life. The GuardianLC “a major breakthrough for grassroots healthcare organising and the international boycott, divestment and sanctions movement”“Teva has no place sponsoring professional bodies dedicated to healing, care and preserving human life,” a spokesperson said.” Read at The Guardian ↗ UKHPRC said it was unthinkable that healthcare organisations continue commercial relationships with companies linked to state systems accused or found by international bodies to involve grave violations of international law, including crimes against humanity, apartheid and genocide. The GuardianLC “grave violations of international law, including crimes against humanity, apartheid and genocide.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Teva said it was disappointed, that it valued its longstanding partnership with the RCN, that it is seeking further dialogue, and that healthcare is at its best when focused on patients rather than politicised. The GuardianLC “We are disappointed by the RCN’s decision to end this relationship and are seeking further dialogue with the organisation.”“Healthcare is at its best when it remains focused on patients rather than being politicised.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Teva's record includes a €462.6m European Commission fine in 2024 for blocking rivals to its multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone in seven European countries, a $225m US Department of Justice settlement in 2023 over price-fixing of three drugs, and a $519m settlement in 2016 over bribery in Russia, Ukraine and Mexico. The GuardianLC “In 2024 the European Commission fined Teva €462.6m for blocking rival firms from competing with Copaxone” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “Teva also agreed to pay $519 million to resolve civil and criminal charges concerning bribery of government officials in Russia, Ukraine and Mexico” Read at Arab News ↗ The Guardian puts total fines and payments over the last decade at about £1bn, while Arab News gives about $1.3 billion. The GuardianLC “Teva has been ordered to pay about £1bn in fines and other payments by the European Commission and US authorities over the last decade” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “Over the past decade, Teva has been ordered to pay about $1.3 billion in fines and other payments” Read at Arab News ↗ Campaigners are now urging the Royal College of Pharmacy to drop Teva UK as a sponsor of its annual conference next month and cancel the company's exhibition presence. The GuardianLC “Pro-Palestine campaigners are now calling on the Royal College of Pharmacy to drop Teva UK as a sponsor of its annual conference next month” Read at The Guardian ↗ Arab NewsRC “Palestinian rights campaigners are now calling on the Royal College of Pharmacy” Read at Arab News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Guardian reports the decision as a news item on a union dropping a sponsor, giving the RCN letter, campaigner statements and Teva's response, and detailing Teva's fines.
- Emphasis
- Campaigners' pressure, the RCN's due-diligence rationale, Teva's regulatory penalties and Teva's reply.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote the RCN on any Israel-related reason; the stated rationale is legal sanction and public scrutiny.
- For example
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“Britain’s nursing union axes Teva UK as commercial partner over links to Israel’s military and corporate track record” — The Guardian
“Teva said it was “disappointed” at the RCN’s decision and that healthcare had been “politicised.”” — The Guardian
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Arab News rewrites the Guardian report for a Middle East audience, leading with the Israel Defense Forces link and the campaigners' boycott framing.
- Emphasis
- Links to the IDF, the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, and Teva's fines converted into dollars.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits Teva's response, including its disappointment and its claim that healthcare was being politicised.
- Charged language
- “axed ties”“record of corporate misconduct”
- For example
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“The UK’s nursing union has axed ties with an Israeli pharmaceuticals firm over its links to the Israel Defense Forces and record of corporate misconduct, The Guardian reported on Friday.” — Arab News
What every side reports
- The RCN has ended its commercial partnership with Teva UK.
- Teva UK will no longer sponsor the 30 October RCNi migraine and headache event, which goes ahead.
- Carmel O’Boyle confirmed the decision in a letter to Nurses for Palestine.
- Campaigners are now targeting the Royal College of Pharmacy over Teva's conference sponsorship.
Where accounts differ
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Total fines Teva has paid over the last decade
- Left
- The Guardian: about £1bn from the European Commission and US authorities.
- Right
- Arab News: about $1.3 billion to US authorities and the European Commission.
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Whether Israel links were the reason for the RCN's decision
- Left
- The Guardian says the decision was over links to Israel's military and corporate misconduct; the RCN letter it quotes cites legal sanctions and public scrutiny.
- Right
- Arab News, relaying the Guardian, says the same; the RCN letter it quotes cites legal sanction and public scrutiny.
Royal College of Nursing organisation
Says further due diligence showed Teva Pharmaceuticals' operations, subject to legal sanction and public scrutiny, are not in line with RCN and RCNi values.
“We are taking this action because further due diligence showed that there are a number of Teva Pharmaceuticals’ operations” — The Guardian
Teva organisation
Disappointed by the decision, valued the partnership, seeks further dialogue, and says healthcare should not be politicised.
“We are disappointed by the RCN’s decision to end this relationship and are seeking further dialogue with the organisation.” — The Guardian
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Guardian covers it as a UK union decision, including Teva's reply and the NHS supply context.
“Teva UK is the British arm of the global drug giant Teva Pharmaceuticals, which is one of the NHS’s biggest suppliers of medicines.” — The Guardian
The Guardian
Middle East1 outlet
Arab News relays the Guardian's report, foregrounding the Israel Defense Forces link and Palestinian rights campaigners.
“Palestinian rights groups had pushed for the union to end its ties with Teva UK.” — Arab News
Arab News
Left1 article
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Royal College of Nursing cuts ties with Israeli drug company
Neutral Straight news report setting the RCN's stated reasons and campaigners' celebration alongside Teva's rebuttal and its fines record.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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UK nursing union cuts ties with Israeli drugs firm
Mixed Rewrite of the Guardian report that leads with the IDF link and campaigners' boycott framing and leaves out Teva's response.
- 2 Oct 07:00 First The GuardianLC Royal College of Nursing cuts ties with Israeli drug company
- 2 Oct 12:02 +5h 3m Arab NewsRC UK nursing union cuts ties with Israeli drugs firm
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.