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ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ Manifesto for Investment, Health and Growth

Asian scientist

Summary

The innovative pharmaceutical industry has the potential to drive the health and wealth of the UK. It already makes a significant contribution to UK research and development (R&D) investment, worth around £9 billion in 2022.1 The medicines and vaccines our industry develops are transformative for public health, patients and the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ.

This manifesto sets out the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµâ€™s vision for how the UK can overtake its global competitors. Implementing these proposals will create a virtuous cycle, where investment in medicines and research accelerates future waves of innovation and attracts an increased UK share of global R&D.

Delivering these proposals requires a true partnership between industry and government, centred on the principles of collaboration, transparency of delivery, and a unified approach to health and growth.

1.ONS Business enterprise research and development, UK: 2022

We have three key asks of the next government:

Ask 1: Strengthen the development, regulation and adoption journey for new medicines and vaccines, making the UK a beacon for global research investment.

  • Create a joined-up life sciences ecosystem with the resources and capacity to deliver rapid approvals, leading to rapid adoption and use of medicines by the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ.

  • Set a goal for the UK to have the highest level of public R&D investment in the G7.

  • Reverse the decline in industry clinical trials in the UK.

  • Establish a world-leading, heath data-enabled patient recruitment service for clinical trials.

  • Create a seamless pathway between genetic testing, personalised medicines access, and clinical trials.

  • Ensure that the UK’s health data offer is globally competitive.

The reward for getting it right

Quicker patient access to new medicines via
clinical trials and increased revenue for the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ.

In 2018/19, before the impact of the pandemic,
the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ in England received aroundÌý£335³¾ in revenue for delivering industry clinical research.Ìý

Greater cost efficiencies for the system. Many parts of the system required to deliver R&D improvements already exist, but they are operating in isolation.

Combining assets and expertise to design and deliver the right services for patients, the ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ and industry will create cost efficiencies, attract inward investment and maximise taxpayers' money.

Source: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and KPMG (2019).
, July 2019.

Ask 2: Work with industry as a partner to drive better health, investing in medicines and vaccines to improve prevention and health equity and deliver a sustainable ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ.

  • Ensure delivery of key commitments in the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG).2

  • Value the long-term benefits of medicines appropriately.

  • Bring the Innovative Medicines Fund in England to life so that it works for patients.

  • Prepare the ground for a new generation of innovative vaccines and support vaccine access and uptake.

  • Provide dedicated central funding for the National Action Plan to protect the world from the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

2.

The reward for getting it right

Research by PwC has shown that if the UK increased use across just four types of medicines (DOACs, SGLT2 inhibitors, severe asthma biologics and vasopressin V2-receptor antagonists) in the NICE-recommended eligible patient population, this would deliver:

additional currently eligible ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ patients getting treatment
1.2m

Ìý

Ìý

additional years of life in good health for patients
429,000

Ìý

Ìý

in productivity gains for the UK
£17.9²ú²Ô

Ìý

Ìý

paid directly back to the Exchequer through taxes
£5.5²ú²Ô
Source: PWC Transforming Lives, Raising Productivity.

Ask 3: Equip industry with the tools to drive UK economic growth, safeguarding intellectual property, removing trade barriers and incentivising advanced medicines manufacturing and skills development.

  • Strengthen global trade in life sciences at the World Trade Organization (WTO) by continuing to advocate for international IP frameworks.

  • Use the full range of mechanisms in its trade policy toolkit to promote UK life science exports as a key growth sector.

  • Deliver a truly cross-departmental approach to education and skills, with regular collaboration with businesses to address current and future skills needs.

  • Make the UK a world leader in advanced and sustainable medicines manufacturing by delivering a long-term programme of capital grants and innovation funding.

  • Deliver stability for prospective investors by providing an internationally competitive tax and fiscal incentives environment for R&D and capital investment.

The reward for getting it right

Pharmaceutical manufacturing is already responsible forÌý
£16.4²ú²Ô
in GVA to the UK economy

By delivering a supportive policy and operating environment for medicines manufacturing, the UK could attract
£15²ú²Ô
and create an additional
26,500
jobs over the next 10 years
ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ 2024 Manifesto 990X610 (1)

ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓÆµ Manifesto for Investment, Health and Growth

Last modified: 27 March 2025

Last reviewed: 27 March 2025