BIA reaction to Labour Leaders speech

Steve Bates OBE, Chief Executive of the BIA said: “NHS patients and the UK economy would both lose the chance of new life saving treatments if the UK becomes a hostile environment for intellectual property.
 

“Sadly, there are still many life-threatening conditions for which there are no viable treatments available. The development of medicines in the UK and globally is underpinned by a strong and robust intellectual property system that incentivises investment.
 

“New life-saving medicines are not just being developed by a few large pharmaceutical companies but also hundreds of innovative SMEs across the UK. Labour’s proposal to use compulsory licenses risks cutting off investment in the small companies up and down the UK that are working hard to develop new treatments for patients that have few options.”