Key test will be to make UK globally competitive in life sciences: ABPI

Key Summary

• The Industrial Strategy has identified life sciences as one of its high-growth potential sectors
• ABPI wants the UK to become a leading centre for life sciences research and development
• It wants the government to move quickly from planning to delivery

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed the government’s new Industrial Strategy, but said the key test for life sciences will be whether it can return the UK to international competitiveness.

ABPI chief executive Richard Torbett said, “For UK life sciences, a successful strategy means ensuring the UK is not only a cutting-edge place to research and develop the medicine of the future, but also a country which seeks to embrace and use the life-changing innovations we are developing."

"This will be the key litmus test for success in the upcoming life science sector plan and the NHS 10-year plan, where we hope to see more detail,” he added.

He lauded the government's industrial strategy as it "sets out a clear vision for how to grow the UK economy".

He said it is "rightly focused on many of the key inputs the country needs," but wants the government to move quickly from planning to delivery.

Apart from life sciences, the Industrial Strategy has identified seven other high-growth potential sectors - advanced manufacturing, creative industries, clean energy industries, digital and technologies, professional and business services, financial services and defence.

The government has published five sector plans, while life sciences, defence, and financial services will be out soon.

For life sciences, the government plans to include measures to streamline regulation, introduce low-friction procurement, and support high-potential UK companies to scale, invest, and remain in the UK.

The plan will be alongside the NHS’s forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan to ensure alignment between health and growth objectives.

To make the UK globally competitive in life sciences, the focus will be on enabling world-class R&D, making the UK an outstanding place to invest and grow, and reforming the NHS.