Life Sciences sector responds to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee report on the impact of Brexit on the pharmaceutical sector

The impact of Brexit on the pharmaceutical sector’ makes several recommendations which industry welcomes. This includes the need to secure the closest possible regulatory alignment with the EU as well as minimum border friction. Patients are at risk of harm and the UK pharmaceutical sector could lose its status as a world leader, the report says.

The Committee also concluded that "what little benefits there may be from regulatory divergence, these would be greatly overshadowed by the costs and loss of markets and influence the UK would face."

A joint statement by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) - whose chief executives, Mike Thompson and Steve Bates, provided evidence to the Committee - said:

“Every month, 45 million packs of medicine move from the UK to the EU, with 37 million moving the other way.

"Today’s Select Committee Report is right - a Brexit ‘no deal’ would significantly damage public health, patient access to medicines and the UK’s leading pharmaceutical sector. This must be avoided at all costs.

"Securing cooperation on the regulation, trade and supply of medicines must be a priority for both the UK Government and the EU."

ENDS

Media enquiries

BIA 

Ed Sexton: [email protected] 0207 6302196

ABPI Press Office

Email: [email protected]
Telephone (24hrs): +44 (0) 20 7747 7147 

About the BIA                    

Established over 25 years ago at the infancy of biotechnology, the BioIndustry Association (BIA) is the trade association for innovative enterprises involved in UK bioscience. Members include emerging and more established bioscience companies; pharmaceutical companies; academic, research and philanthropic organisations; and service providers to the bioscience sector. The BIA represents the interests of its members to a broad section of stakeholders, from government and regulators to patient groups and the media. Our goal is to secure the UK's position as a global hub and as the best location for innovative research and commercialisation, enabling our world-leading research base to deliver healthcare solutions that can truly make a difference to people's lives.   

For further information, please go to www.bioindustry.org and twitter.com/BIA_UK

About the ABPI 

The ABPI represents innovative research-based biopharmaceutical companies, large, medium and small, leading an exciting new era of biosciences in the UK.

Our industry, a major contributor to the economy of the UK, brings life-saving and life-enhancing medicines to patients.  We represent companies who supply more than 80 per cent of all branded medicines used by the NHS and who are researching and developing the majority of the current medicines pipeline, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of helping patients prevent and overcome disease.

Globally our industry is researching and developing more than 7,000 new medicines. 

The ABPI is recognised by government as the industry body negotiating on behalf of the branded pharmaceutical industry for statutory consultation requirements including the pricing scheme for medicines in the UK.​​