Royal College of Nursing ends sponsorship with Israeli drugmaker Teva over military ties
The Royal College of Nursing has terminated its partnership with Teva UK, citing the company's connections to Israel's military and past corruption scandals.
The Royal College of Nursing, the world’s largest nursing union, announced it will no longer accept sponsorship from Teva UK, ending the company's support of a nursing leadership summit scheduled for 30 October 2026 in London. The decision followed campaigns by Nurses for Palestine and the UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges, which argued that Teva’s ties to the Israeli military and a history of bribery and price-fixing conflicted with the union’s principles.
Council chair Carmel O’Boyle confirmed the split, citing recent due-diligence that uncovered legal sanctions and public scrutiny of Teva’s operations. Pro-Palestinian advocates hailed the action as a significant victory for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Teva, the global generic-drug leader, said it was disappointed and warned that the union was allowing healthcare to become politicised. The company also faces ongoing lawsuits in the United States over price-fixing allegations.
Why it matters
The split highlights growing pressure on health bodies to reject sponsors linked to conflict and corporate misconduct.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage frames the split as a moral victory for pro-Palestinian activists and highlights Teva’s alleged bribery and price-fixing, while centrist coverage presents the decision as a straightforward termination of a sponsorship over military links.
LEFT
The story is portrayed as a significant win for pro-Palestinian activism, emphasizing Teva’s controversial ties and misconduct.
CENTER
The story is reported as a factual account of the nursing union ending a sponsorship because of the drugmaker’s military connections.
The left emphasises
- ties to the Israeli military
- history of bribery and price-fixing
- pro-Palestinian advocates hailed the action as a significant victory for the BDS movement
In this story
