Key Summary
- Committee says UK life sciences confidence is falling due to complex pricing and slow uptake
- US trade talks are reportedly interfering with UK health policy decisions
- Health Secretary must respond by 26 Nov with plans to fix this and rebuild trust.
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee has urged the UK government to carry out urgent reforms to save the country’s life sciences sector.
In a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting, the committee chair Dame Chi Onwurah has called for urgent changes to the processes behind pricing and uptake of new medicines and health technologies to restore confidence in the UK’s life sciences sector.
The letter was written after an evidence session with pharmaceutical companies, National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) representatives, the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) and the government.
Onwurah warns that the current pricing processes as well as the uptake of new medicines and health technologies was adversely impacting the life sciences sector’s credibility.
She called out NICE’s processes as “needlessly complex” making the sector lose confidence in the government.
The letter also expressed concern over the impact of US trade talks on the UK’s domestic life sciences and health policy.
Health and social care minister Dr Zubir Ahmed told the Committee that VPAG negotiations had been “usurped” by these talks.
The committee might have a relook at the issue and follow negotiation progress with the US and announcements in the coming budget.
The chair expects a response from Streeting by November 26 on how the government will stop US trade talks from weakening UK health policy goals, and how it plans to rebuild trust in the life sciences sector.
“It is clear to the committee that the life sciences sector has lost confidence in the credibility of the UK Government to deliver on its promises,” Onwurah said.
“We are calling on the Health Secretary to outline what representations he has made to the Treasury to help restore this confidence in the upcoming Budget,” she added.
