Ellwood Atfield was proud to host the BioIndustry Association’s Parliament Day 2019.
The purpose of the UK’s life sciences sector is for patients to be able to have access to lifesaving and life-enhancing new medicines. With Brexit looming, the UK’s future relationship with the EU will impact access to medicines and the health sector more widely. The UK will need to review how medicines are assessed to ensure continued access.
As a global leader in life sciences, the sector is well-placed to leverage and attract new investment and the government has committed to reaching 2.4% GDP investment in R&D by 2027. With an additional £7billion of public investment up until 2021-22 and 479 products in pre-clinical development and clinical trials, the UK has the strongest R&D pipeline. UK Biotech delivered life-changing new treatments to patients and cost-saving for the NHS and having a supportive home market is important to the sector as a whole. Ensuring a close relationship with Europe, and an even closer regulatory partnership between the UK’s MHRA and the European Medicines Agency, will ensure that the health and safety of citizens and patients (in both the UK and Europe) will not be put at risk by Brexit.
The BIA began their day with a breakfast briefing in our offices, in Smith Square in the heart of Westminster, before moving on to a day of meetings in Parliament. Lunch was hosted by Lord O’Shaughnessy, former life sciences minister in the House of Lords with the day successfully rounded off with the BIA hosting their summer networking evening in Tower Bridge – where members of the EA health team attended.
With a dedicated team focussing on health communications and policy Ellwood Atfield are uniquely placed to build strong teams and have worked across the leading organisations in health, pharma and social care at all levels. Get in touch for a confidential chat.