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The government and the UK life sciences industry have launched a Joint Taskforce to drive innovation in the UK’s commercial environment for medicines. 

As part of the delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan, the government has established a sprint process with the pharmaceutical sector to consider options for accelerating progress towards the government’s ambitions for the UK to be the third most important Life Science economy by 2035.

This process will not replace the formal voluntary scheme negotiations, which are expected to commence in 2027 and conclude in 2028, but will act as a precursor to developing options for a future scheme and to examining the broader medicines pricing system.  

The process will involve key agencies such as ÐÇ¿ÕÊÓƵ England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and engage with charitable and patient groups to ensure a broad range of views are considered.

The Taskforce aims to report back to ministers and industry leaders and, where appropriate, will be followed by pilot schemes and idea rollouts as early as September 2026.