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The UK must act swiftly to fend off competition if it wants to build the world's leading life sciences sciences hub, a new report suggests. A year on from the launch of the government's life science vision, the report commissioned by the the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said although achieving the ambition remained feasible, the UK would need an attractive business environment because its competitor countries were becoming more adept at attracting investment. To achieve the ambition of the vision, the PwC-produced report suggested raising pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK to build a 'stronger manufacturing and research infrastructure', alongside better investment in, access to and uptake of innovative medicines. It said the UK would also need to adopt a renewed approach to the priority healthcare challenges identified in the government's 'Life Science Vision', which would mean cutting the overall burden on health of dementia, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease and mental health. The report quantified the size of the prize if the vision was implemented in full and the UK could emulate the successes of leading EU countries, which included: £68 billion in additional GDP over 30 years, owing to increased R&D investment £16.3 billion additional annual GDP from increased pharmaceutical exports Supporting 85,000 additional jobs Up to 40 per cent decrease in disease burden across the whole UK - for areas like cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions and Cancer. Reduced variation in speed of access to new medicines within three months of licensing for all NHS patients.

Accord Healthcare is set to expand its manufacturing and production capabilities for high-quality medicines at its Fawdon plant in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, following a new multi-million-pound investment deal with the government. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves launched the new Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF) and announced the unlocking of a joint £50 million investment deal during her visit to the Fawdon plant on 1 November. Unveiled as part of a new budget, the LSIMF will distribute up to £ 520 million in capital grants aimed at drug and medical technology production. Accord stated that it will allocate the funding towards developing new product lines, including a novel prostate cancer drug and two autoimmune injectables for treating rheumatoid arthritis and gastroenterology indications, as well as expanding its medicines for adjunctive therapy in cancer. With this investment, Accord also plans to create over 50 new skilled jobs to "safeguard the facility's long-term future." Paul Tredwell, executive vice president of Accord Healthcare EMENA, welcomed the announcement and described it as positive news for the medicines manufacturing industry across the UK.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of Boots UK, has begun a strategic review of its business in the United Kingdom, chief executive officer Rosalind Brewer said on Tuesday (January 11) - as the pharmacy chain tries to renew its focus on US healthcare. Boots has over 2,200 stores across the UK, which include pharmacies, health and beauty stores, among others, according to the chain's website. "This review is very much in line with our renewed priorities and strategic direction. In particular, our increased focus on US healthcare. While the process is at an exploratory stage, we do expect to move quickly," Brewer said at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. The review comes at a time when the company, which was formed in 2014 after the acquisition of stake in Alliance Boots by Walgreens, moves beyond its drugstores with its investments in two smaller healthcare providers, CareCentrix and VillageMD.

Charac, an NHS-integrated one-stop platform for independent community pharmacies, has secured £1 million strategic investment from the Royal Mail Group, enabling its time-saving platform to assist more local pharmacies and patients across the UK to easily manage their prescriptions and consultations online. The company said this new money will enable it to leverage strong levels of trust that pharmacists enjoy within the communities they serve in and will ensure pharmacies remain a cornerstone of vibrant high streets and an invaluable provider of frontline healthcare products and services, including vitally needed consultations. Charac says it is aiming to sign up over 1,000 UK pharmacies in the next 12 months by expanding its geographic footprint beyond current cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham, and targeting small multiple and independent pharmacies, accounting for almost 40 per cent of the UK's community pharmacy network. The announcement also sees the addition of Stefan Kulik, a managing director at Royal Mail, to the Charac board. Stefan is responsible for leading Royal Mail's expansion into the healthcare industry and brings a breadth of experience, having previously worked in healthcare with companies including Johnson & Johnson.

The UK Government is investing £100 million to accelerate the use of AI in life sciences and healthcare under a new mission. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission in his speech last week. The new initiative will capitalise on the UK's unique strengths in securing "health data and cutting-edge AI." It will also help to identify those at risk of "dementia" and will ensure that patients participate in the trials at the right time to develop new treatments effectively. Henceforth, it will provide us with better data on how well new therapies work. Sunak said: "AI can help us solve some of the greatest social challenges of our time. AI could help find novel dementia treatments or develop vaccines for cancer."

ITV on Tuesday (Aug 15) said it had agreed to invest in pain relief brand Flarin Holdings Ltd, making it the British broadcaster's first consumer healthcare investment. The company has agreed to subscribe for £2 million worth of shares in Flarin, with an option to subscribe for two more tranches of 1.5 million pounds each. In return, Flarin would get advertising space across ITV's channels and ITVX. ITV said its investment will "help Flarin build mass market brand awareness by bringing the brand to millions of consumers via ITV platforms. This will be a step change in the size of the campaign and the approach to scaling the Flarin brand to date." Director of ITV AdVentures, Sheena Amin, said: "It's fantastic to be announcing our latest Media for Equity investment into Flarin. With its innovative and patented lipid technology, Flarin offers many unique benefits to those suffering from joint and muscular pain compared to any other product on the market. Flarin is already one of the fastest growing analgesics in the market and I am confident that we will see the company grow to new heights following a brand building campaign across ITV."

The government has announced a £100 million public-private investment to establish 20 new commercial research delivery centres (CRDCs) across the UK, aimed at increasing access to innovative treatments and clinical trials in underserved communities. These centres will be set up in all four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, acting as regional hubs for pioneering clinical trials. These trials will span various conditions, including cancer, obesity, and infectious diseases like flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The hubs will facilitate the swift launch of commercial studies, ensuring that patients can access experimental treatments as soon as possible. Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron hailed the investment as "a powerful vote of confidence in the UK's leading research and life sciences sector." She noted that the new hubs will shift research into smaller communities, allowing more people to access cutting-edge treatments faster.

In response to a Scottish government consultation, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for continued investment to develop community pharmacy teams and create additional capacity in existing services. The consultation examines different ways patients access healthcare services in Scotland and focuses on sources of healthcare other than GPs that exist in the community. The inquiry was discussed with NPA policy leads across the UK, NPA Scottish members and other Scottish pharmacy stakeholder organisations. The NPA stated that services delivered during the pandemic has proven the importance of Scotland's 1,258 community pharmacies, and believes additional capacity for existing pharmacy services, and expansion of pharmacy Public Health Services is possible with continued investment from the government.

The government on Wednesday (March 2) announced an investment of £260 million to support research, development and manufacturing of new drugs, devices and diagnostics. Of the total funding, up to £200m has been allocated for research to better access NHS data through Trusted Research Environments and digital clinical trial services, enabling availability of crucial data with the highest levels of privacy. This will allow the NHS to deliver new life-saving treatments to patients, tackle health inequalities and improve patient care, a government release stated. The remaining £60m will support commercial-scale manufacturing investments by companies at the leading-edge of innovation, from cell and gene therapies and earlier and better diagnostic technologies, to medical devices. The funding for manufacturing investments will be distributed through the new Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF), following the success of the earlier Medicines and Diagnostics Manufacturing Transformation Fund.

The rising focus on the "Social" component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is prompting UK pharmacies, particularly independent pharmacies, to take a more active role in social responsibility. Beyond just meeting regulatory requirements, pharmacies can strengthen their communities while building trust and supporting business growth by aligning their practices with social initiatives. The importance of social responsibility in ESG Research shows 77% of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place, while 73% of investors state that efforts to improve the environment and society contribute to their investment decisions. As customers, employees and investors increasingly expect businesses to contribute positively to society, the "Social" aspect of ESG is gaining importance. In healthcare, trust, accessibility, and community engagement are essential, giving pharmacies a unique opportunity to lead by prioritising social responsibility. By aligning with community needs and values, pharmacies can positively influence local health outcomes, while strengthening their reputation as trusted healthcare providers.

Former superintendent pharmacist and National Pharmacy Association (NPA) director, Phil Galt, has been appointed the new UK managing director for pharmacy software supplier Cegedim Rx. The position was previously held by Adam Dennett, who resigned after a successful ten-year tenure to pursue a new career outside healthcare, the company said. Cegedim Rx, the pharmacy entity of Cegedim Healthcare Solutions UK, announced the new appointment this month (April 5). Tristan de Foucher, head of European operations for Cegedim Group, said: "Adam has been a force of nature in this business for the past 10 years. Under his leadership, the team has continuously and successfully invested in and driven product innovation to stay ahead of the ever-changing demands placed upon community pharmacy." Galt has over 20 years of experience as a qualified pharmacist and a successful business leader. He has worked extensively in community pharmacy, focusing on both care delivery and technology implementation.

Haleon is enhancing its research and development (R&D) capabilities and accelerating its new product innovation pipeline with a $54 million (£43.49 million) investment in its global R&D centre of excellence in Richmond, Virginia, USA. This investment is in addition to the company's annual R&D budget of approximately £300 million. The Richmond site, one of Haleon's three global R&D centres of excellence, alongside facilities in Weybridge, UK, and Suzhou, China, provides the global scale necessary for the company to deliver disruptive and locally relevant brand innovations across over 170 markets worldwide. The upgraded facility will feature new, state-of-the-art laboratories designed to enable development of innovations across ingredients, formulations, flavours, formats and packaging for Haleon's Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS) categories. Franck Riot, Haleon's chief R&D officer, emphasised the critical role of R&D in the company's success, stating, "R&D is the cornerstone of our business and the innovation engine behind our category-leading brands." "Consumers trust our products because they trust our science - so investing in R&D is vital for driving consumer preference for our brands."

The Green Party has previewed its upcoming manifesto with a bold proposal for the National Health Service (NHS) and social care system, promising an unprecedented level of investment to restore and enhance these critical services. By 2030, the Greens aim to inject over £50 billion annually into health and social care, accompanied by an additional £20 billion capital investment to modernise healthcare infrastructure. Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay emphasised the urgency of these reforms, stating, "Our NHS is at breaking point following 14 years of underfunding." "Patients are stuck in hospital corridors, people can't see their GP or NHS dentist when they need to, and staff are severely overstretched." The manifesto highlights a comprehensive approach to revitalising the NHS, including:

A winter NHS crisis is inevitable unless the government acts now to reverse the worrying decline in community pharmacies. Years of government underfunding could see 3,000 pharmacies in England - around a third of the network - having no option but to shut their doors to patients in the next few years. That figure is based on independent assessments from Ernst & Young and UCL/LSE healthcare professors: it is not scaremongering - it is the reality the country faces. Fifty per cent of pharmacies are already in financial distress because government funding has been falling in real terms since 2019 and that figure is predicted to rise to 75 per cent within the next two years. The government needs to act now and invest in pharmacy or sleepwalk into a healthcare disaster as we have seen with access to dentistry care. Prescription volumes have risen consistently year-on-year by roughly 2 per cent which means fewer pharmacies doing more work and under greater pressure than a decade ago. Ten years ago around 11,200 pharmacies in England were dispensing roughly 79,000 prescriptions; nowadays around 11,500 are dispensing roughly 89,000 prescriptions. The secretary of state recently asked pharmacy to do more to avoid a winter NHS crisis and at the same time said there will be no new money to pay for those additional services. This at a time when the network is in decline with random unplanned pharmacy closures - 640 closures since 2016 - and pharmacy staff face huge workload pressures as prescription demand is increasing year-on-year. The government's approach to pharmacy literally does not add up: the pharmacy contract is not fit-for-purpose now let alone dealing with a NHS winter crisis.

The English health secretary has fumbled the opportunity to prevent a crisis in the NHS this winter. She either does not understand or value the role of community pharmacy as the third pillar of patient access to essential healthcare. Her announcement that she wants community pharmacy to provide more services to take the strain off A&E departments and GP surgeries comes on the same day DHSC announces no new long-term investment to sustain the sector. Does she not understand that as a result of years of government underinvestment in England the network is in decline with random closures across the country? Too many pharmacies are temporarily closed every day due to workforce shortages beyond the control of pharmacy owners. Adding a new service here and there, even with some additional funding, does not address the longer term viability of the network which needs to know which patient services it will be expected to provide over the next 10 years - not just the next few months - and how those will be adequately remunerated. Asking more from our sector with no new investment is a strategy which is bound to fail. The pharmacy contract remains economically illiterate. The sector's finances need open heart surgery not a couple of paracetamol tablets.

After a year-long divestment spree, LloydsPharmacy has entered into liquidation and appointed Turpin Barker Armstrong Accountants to handle the process. In its statement of affairs report, the liquidators confirmed that the pharmacy group owes £293m to 514 creditors. This includes £228m owed to the group's former owner Admenta UK and £50m to Aurelius Crocodile - a holding company that was used to control the pharmacy business. However, creditors are set to lose out on approximately £255m as only about £8.2m can be recovered for preferential creditors and £800,000 for its unsecured creditors, the liquidators said. The healthcare chain was acquired by Aurelius when the investment firm took over its parent company, McKesson UK in 2022 for £477m.

UK businesses invested £50 billion in research and development (R&D) in 2023, according to the annual survey report released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This marks a £1.4 billion increase (2.9%) compared to the previous year's £48.5 billion. Pharmaceuticals remained the largest contributor to business R&D spending, with £8.7 billion allocated to the sector, accounting for 17.4% of the total R&D expenditure by UK businesses. However, this is slightly down from £8.8 billion in 2022. Other major contributors among product groups included software development with R&D spending at £7.6 billion, and miscellaneous business activities such as technical testing and analysis at £6.9 billion. When measuring the value of R&D performed by industry, the scientific research and development industry emerged as the top performer, with £12.7 billion spent, representing 25.3% of total business R&D.

A three-year contract has been signed between NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and Pharmaceutical Press, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) knowledge business, to continue the supply of trusted medicines information though MedicinesComplete, to healthcare professionals in Scotland. The renewed investment from NES demonstrates unequivocal confidence in the publisher and highlights Pharmaceutical Press' ongoing commitment to provide practical and evidence-based guidance, supporting those who prescribe, dispense, and administer medicines. Essential resources include Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference, Palliative Care formulary, Stockley's Drug Interactions and Critical Illness. Relied on by healthcare professionals globally for use in everyday practice, clear and concise guidance through MedicinesComplete supports confident decision-making at the point of care.

The government has earmarked £200 million to enhance NHS resilience and expedite patient care during the upcoming winter season. This extra amount will bolster the health service during its busiest period, while protecting elective care so we can keep cutting waiting lists, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said. On August 13, the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary met with clinical leaders and NHS Chiefs to strategise and refine planning for urgent and emergency care, while prioritising the preservation of waiting list targets for the upcoming winter season. "Patients can be reassured that I will always back the NHS, so that those who most need help and support will get the care they need," Sunak said. "Winter is the most challenging time for the health service, which is why we've been planning for it all year - with huge government investment to fund new ambulances, beds and virtual wards." "This £200 million investment, assured by the Department of Health and Social Care as new and additional funding, should aid NHS leaders in their preparations and mitigation for what will be a seriously difficult winter period," said Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of NHS Confederation. "The priority now is swift allocation of funding to local systems for optimal utilisation."

As Health Secretary Wes Streeting initiates a national conversation about the future of the NHS, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has stressed the importance of increasing investment in medicines to fix the 'broken' NHS. Streeting is inviting the public, NHS staff, and experts to share their experiences and contribute to shaping the government's 10 Year Health Plan to build an NHS fit for the future. The government aims to implement three big shifts to transform the NHS: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. Richard Torbett, chief executive of the ABPI, has highlighted the vital role medicines and vaccines can play in achieving these priorities. He said: "Wes Streeting is spot-on in identifying three strategic shifts necessary to fix the broken NHS. Medicines and vaccines have a vital role in all three of these priorities, but we are not currently realising their potential."