ABPI embraces proposals for pharma’s growth ahead of UK elections

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed proposals from the Conservative and Unionist Party’s recently published Manifesto for the UK’s 2024 general election.

For example, this includes plans to accelerate NHS patient access to new medicines, which propose to “remove bureaucratic obstacles to the use of new medicines” and streamline cost-effectiveness assessments of medicines in use by NHS England and NICE.

ABPI also invited the commitments to increase numbers of commercial clinical trials in the NHS.

To support the pharmaceutical industry’s global competitiveness, the ABPI also welcomed plans to expand “public spending on R&D to £22 billion a year and to maintain R&D tax reliefs” and also to advance its Advanced Manufacturing Plan, which has major role in securing the UK’s future in medicines manufacturing, the ABPI emphasised.

“We encourage other parties to come forward with equally specific proposals to boost the sector, so that the progress of recent years can be maintained and patients, the NHS and the economy can benefit, whatever the outcome of the election,” Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive responded.

ABPI’s challenge to boost the UK economy

Earlier this week, the ABPI urged the next UK government to provide its pharmaceutical sector with key tools to boost the country’s economy.

The trade body‘s own manifesto, published in February, proposes actions to drive better health and fairness to patients in the NHS, boost patient access to new medicines via clinical trials, bring more manufacturing jobs and value to the UK, and create more highly-skilled well-paid jobs throughout the country.

According to ABPI, implementing the recommended tools will offer the life sciences sector benefits including the generation of £16.3 billion and 85,000 new jobs in GDP annually from increased pharmaceutical exports. Additionally, they will also attract a further £1.2 billion and 7000 high-quality jobs per year from greater life sciences foreign direct investment.

“We urge the next government to commit to being a partner with industry [to ensure patients] have… fair and timely access to treatments and vaccines in the NHS,” Torbett commented.