A new report from the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) draws up a road map for the advancement of the life science industries in the UK through collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors.
Life Sciences 2010: Delivering the Blueprint has been welcomed by industry trade associations as taking forward and building on the measures proposed in the OLS Blueprint six months ago.
The OLS initiative has focused on improving the commercial environment of the life science industries, with participation from trade associations representing medtech, biotech and pharma.
The report brings together existing and impending measures aimed at improving the route from UK innovation to NHS practice. These include:
• Industry-Higher Education Forum - bringing together relevant stakeholders to identify critical disciplines and skills gaps within life science research.
• Capability Clusters - strengthening collaborative work between the NHS, academia and industry to develop new therapies (focusing initially on respiratory and inflammatory joint disease).
• NHS Operating Framework - embedding clinical trials within core NHS activity.
• RegenMed - a £21.5m programme managed by the Technology Strategy Board to support key areas of commercial R&D and develop R&D partnerships.
• Patent Box - reducing corporation tax on innovative UK industry activity.
• Innovation Pass - assisting rapid NHS uptake of treatments that show potential to deliver patient benefits but struggle to show cost-effectiveness at launch.
• NHS Life Sciences Delivery Board - improving the uptake and adoption of innovative technologies and medicines.
Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of ABHI, said: "The OLS has reinforced the role of the medical technology industry in the provision of innovative products for the NHS and delivering benefit to patients. For our industry, the establishment of the NHS Life Sciences Delivery Board is a major development in the intelligent utilisation of medical technology to deliver benefits for the NHS - both for patients and for cost-effective service provision."
Doris-Ann Williams, Director General of BIVDA, commented: "The work of the OLS has provided an excellent example of what can happen when Government and business work together."