Pharmaceutical Sweeteners?

University of Bath academics, Emily Rickard and Piotr Ozieranski, determined that All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) in the UK, received substantial funding from Pharamceutical companies (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/25/drug-firms-giving-mps-hidden-funding-research-shows). APPGs are found in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Rickard and Ozieranski note that accounts for the funding donations are vague and difficult to uncover. They were, however, able to establish that, between 2012 and 2018, 58 health-related APPGs received almost £2.2 m in direct and indirect funding from pharmaceutical companies. Rickard and Ozieranski suggest that, without greater transparency, this is 'a hidden web of policy influence'. To put it bluntly, funding may be given, inorder to favour the products of donating Pharmaceutical companies. Why am I not surprised that political donors may expect something for their money?