Government- pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force progress

Citation

Morris, B. (2001), "Government- pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force progress", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 14 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2001.06214aab.001

Government- pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force progress

Government- pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force progress

In October 2000 UK Health Minister Lord Philip Hunt and Tom McKillop, CEO of AstraZeneca, announced "further excellent progress" following the third meeting of the Government-Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Task Force.

At the meeting the Task Force looked at progress made in several key areas.

Regulation and competitiveness

The Task Force considered how the UK market compares with markets in other competitor countries. It compared regulation, access and uptake of medicines and how domestic arrangements impact on the success or otherwise of industry. According to McKillop and Lord Hunt to date UK arrangements for regulating the market have existed alongside a very successful industry performance compared to other countries. The UK is second only to the US in terms of its innovative industrial performance. The spokesmen agreed on the need to work together to keep it that way, making sure that any changes to the regulatory environment are fully assessed for their effects on UK competitiveness and innovation.

Research and development

They said that the quality of the UK science base is the rock on which a successful R&D industry is based. A key part of that is clinical research and the relationship between industry and the NHS as a base for clinical studies of new medicines.

The Task Force heard from Vincent Lawton, the industry lead, and Sir John Pattison, Chairman of the Task Force's Clinical Research Working Group, who set out a comprehensive action plan to address present impediments to providing a competitive UK environment for clinical research. This includes improvements to start-up times on clinical trials from April 2001, and development of a Research Governance Framework by the NHS which defines standards and establishes a framework to guarantee its quality. They also pointed to the need to improve communications between industry and the NHS on clinical trials.

The Task Force noted that the Biopharmaceuticals Working Group continues to consider ways to make the UK a competitive and attractive location for pharmaceutical R&D. Progress includes proposals to reinforce the UK's manufacturing base and proposals to strengthen the assistance to pharmaceutical investors from the Government investment agency.

Prescribing, partnership and patient information

Progress was also noted on joint working between industry and government on developing "patient partnership" in medicines-taking, on clarification between industry and Government of the rules on prescribing medicines outside the NHS, and on clarification of what can and cannot be done under current regulations to provide information to patients.

The Task Force was to meet again in December.