Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

ABPI wants to see a ‘fourth shift’ in NHS 10-Year Health Plan

Investing in medicines and vaccines could revolutionise healthcare and help the government deliver the economic growth, says ABPI

Fourth Shift: Investment in Innovative Medicines Crucial for NHS 10-Year Plan Success

Medicines should be viewed as an investment rather than a cost

gettyimages


The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has called on the government to increase investment in innovative medicines and vaccines, describing it as a crucial “fourth shift” necessary to ensure the NHS is fit for the future.


This was one of the recommendations outlined in a new paper published Today (4) by the ABPI to help the government transform the NHS and drive economic growth.

Through the new NHS 10-Year Plan, the government aims to transform the NHS by shifting from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.

However, ABPI argued that achieving the shifts will require a ‘fourth shift’ - investing in innovative medicines.

“Raising levels of NHS investment in innovative medicines to internationally comparable levels could significantly reduce unwarranted variation in standards of health and care, improve health outcomes, reduce health inequalities, tackle patient backlogs and support people to re-enter the workforce,” the paper stated.

The report pointed out that the UK spends less on medicines than most of its peers, with medicines accounting for 9 per cent of the UK’s healthcare spend compared to countries like Germany and Italy (both 17 per cent) and France (15 per cent).

This underinvestment, it warned, has hindered patient access to new treatments, with the number of new medicines available on the NHS in England declining by 10 per cent in recent years—marking the steepest drop among leading EU countries.

“Given that medicines and vaccines play a fundamental role in preventing both the onset and progression of disease, this is detrimental to the government’s agenda for the NHS,” the report said.

The ABPI also stressed the importance of strategic investment in NHS research capacity and health data infrastructure to deliver the NHS 10-Year Plan, and how the pharmaceutical industry can be a key partner in driving transformative change.

A critical factor in enabling greater investment in medicines, the association noted, will be the Autumn Review of the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines, Pricing and Growth (VPAG).

Currently, the scheme “caps the growth in medicines spend significantly below levels of NHS demand, placing huge pressure on industry and jeopardising patient access to medicines and economic growth,” it said.

Richard Torbett, ABPI’s chief executive, emphasised that the NHS 10-Year Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan represent opportunities to drive economic growth, but this will require the government to view medicines as “an investment rather than a cost.”

“The NHS 10-Year Plan particularly must maximise the contribution of innovation from all parts of the life sciences sector to succeed, including the vital role of medicines and vaccines,” he said.

“Investing appropriately in innovative medicines and vaccines, and incentivising the research that delivers them, will power the delivery of the 10-Year Plan.

“This investment is the ‘fourth shift’ that will benefit patients, the NHS and the life sciences sector, which can then drive health and growth throughout the UK,” he added.

Life sciences are a critical pillar of the UK economy, with the pharmaceutical sector serving as the most valuable segment.

In 2022, the pharmaceutical sector invested £9 billion in research and development, generating £17.6 billion in economic value, supporting 126,000 highly skilled jobs, and driving £26.1 billion in exports.

In 2022, the pharmaceutical industry contributed £9 billion in research and development (worth £17.6 billion in economic value), 126,000 highly skilled jobs, and £26.1 billion in exports.

Additionally, commercial clinical trials raised £1.2 billion of NHS revenue, supporting 13,000 jobs in the NHS.

More For You

Pharmacist handing medicine to patient, NHS prescription cost freeze debate

Prescription charge will remain at £9.90

Pic credit: iStock

NPA calls for end to prescription charge after freeze announcement

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has asked for prescription charges to be completely removed despite the government announcing today that the charge will be frozen for the first time in three years.

Patients will continue paying £9.90 to collect their medication from a pharmacy.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS launches new prescribing development programme for pharmacists

From 2026, every newly qualified pharmacist will be an independent prescriber

gettyimages

RPS unveils new training programme to enhance pharmacists’ prescribing skills

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced the launch of a comprehensive new prescribing development programme to support pharmacists across all stages of their prescribing careers.

The initiative comes ahead of the NHS mandate that every newly qualified pharmacist will be an independent prescriber by 2026 — a change set to transform the future of pharmacy practice.

Keep ReadingShow less
Varenicline promotes nicotine vaping cessation in young people

Researchers warn that e-cigarette use can increase risk for nicotine addiction,uptake of combusted tobacco and other substance use.

gettyimages

Anti-smoking pill varenicline may help young people quit vaping, new study suggests

Varenicline — a daily pill already offered through NHS Stop Smoking Services — could also support young people in quitting vaping, new research has suggested.

The medication, proven to be more effective than nicotine replacement gums or patches for smoking cessation, was shown to significantly boost vaping abstinence when combined with behavioural counselling in adolescents and young adults.

Keep ReadingShow less
Relying on blue inhalers alone can worsen asthma symptoms, warns MHRA

Patients are advised to use their preventer inhaler regularly, even if their asthma feels under control.

Pic credit: gettyimages

Overuse of blue inhalers can increase risk of severe asthma attacks, warns MHRA

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reminding asthma patients to use their preventer (anti-inflammatory) inhalers regularly as prescribed, rather than relying solely on their blue inhalers, also referred to as reliever inhalers.

“Without regular use of a preventer inhaler, symptoms could worsen and increase the risk of severe asthma attacks,” the MHRA warned.

Keep ReadingShow less
13 pharmacists achieve RPS core advanced credential with record pass rate

The latest successful cohort includes pharmacists from both England and Scotland.

Pic credit: Getty Images

13 more pharmacists achieve RPS core advanced credential - Highest pass rate yet

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced that 13 more pharmacists have successfully completed Core Advanced Credentialling as part of the latest assessment cohort —achieving a remarkable 93% pass rate, the highest to date.

This brings the total number of pharmacists awarded the RPS core advanced credential to 113 since the launch of the Core Advanced Curriculum in 2023, with successful candidates from GP, secondary care and community settings.

Keep ReadingShow less