ABPI response to the publication of government’s Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators report

Today the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) has published the annual Life Sciences Competitive Indicators report.

Commenting on the report, David Watson, Executive Director Patient Access, ABPI, said:

ABPI response to the publication of government’s Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators report.

"This report is critical in identifying the areas within the life sciences sector that are working well and those which can be improved, and the story today is a mixed bag.  

It’s positive that we are continuing to see upward trends in R&D investment and job creation, but in other areas - exports of pharmaceutical products and share of patients recruited to global clinical trials - some European competitors continue to out-perform us.  And despite Government ambition to improve the use of new medicines, this report suggests that for every patient in the UK who gets a new treatment, in other countries that figure is double.

The pandemic has shown how industry and the NHS can work well together, with the incredible speed of development and roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines. This data should focus minds on the areas we need to improve if we are to meet the ambition set out in the Government’s Life Science Vision - of the UK as a global leader."