The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has announced a new regional team to work closer with the NHS to bring innovative treatments quicker to NHS patients. The ABPI is delighted about the Government’s plans to work closer with the pharma industry, as demonstrated in the Government’s Innovation Health and Wealth report, which looked to encourage the quicker adoption of innovative medicines.
Stephen Whitehead, the CEO of the ABPI, said: “I firmly believe partnership working is the future of healthcare in the UK. Generic medicines do save us money, but it is innovation that saves lives. We have to be careful not to focus on cost saving when we should be focusing on patients. ”
He highlighted the fact that developing new innovative medicines could save money elsewhere in care, such as with Alzheimer’s. He warned about the understandable concern for the NHS to keep prices down, as any failure to recognise and value innovation would mean lives would suffer. He saw the partnership opportunities as enabling the NHS and industry to work together for the good of improving healthcare.