Labour manifesto: ABPI welcomes policies but work still needed

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed the Labour Party’s manifesto for its pharmaceutical ambitions but has warned the party risks potentially damaging the UK’s research base.

The ABPI welcomed a number of Labour policies which intend to improve the UK’s pharmaceutical landscape. These include improving patient access to medicines, putting the country at the forefront of innovation, raising R&D investment to 3% of GDP and increasing the number of pharmaceutical jobs.

However, the ABPI warned that Labour’s intentions to phase out R&D tax credits and use ‘Patent Act provisions, compulsory licenses and research exemptions’ to grant access to breakthrough medicines would “damage the UK’s research base.”

ABPI CEO, Mike Thompson said: “Whilst ambitions to improve patient access to medicines, increase jobs and raise R&D investment to 3% of GDP are welcome, these proposals will actively undermine achieving them.

Overturning patents for breakthrough medicines and phasing out R&D tax credits and the patent box would damage the UK’s research base. This underpins thousands of highly skilled jobs and helps the UK to compete on the global stage.  

We look forward to working constructively with Labour to help them develop proposals that will meet their ambitions and help patients get access to new medicines.”

Labour’s manifesto includes a range of plans to improve access to medicines and new technologies for patients. Labour states it will place the NHS at the forefront of genomics and cell therapies so patients can benefit from new treatments for both cancer and dementia. More so, the party will aim to progress the clinical availability of medicinal cannabis, roll out PrEP medication and abolish prescription charges in England.