16 September 2016Big Pharma

UK pharma industry welcomes £816m investment in health research

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed the Department of Health’s new £816 million ($1.1 billion) investment in health research, stating that it is “a signal of the government’s commitment to invest in innovation”.

As part of the investment, announced on Wednesday, September 14, National Health Service (NHS) clinicians and universities will benefit from facilities and support services.

The £816 million will be distributed into different health sectors, where research in the mental health will see funding increase to nearly £70 million, dementia to over £45 million, deafness and hearing problems will receive over £15 million, and money for antimicrobial resistance research will increase to around £45 million.

Jeremy Hunt, health secretary, said in a  statement: “We are supporting the great minds of the NHS to push the frontiers of medical science so that patients in this country continue to benefit from the very latest treatments and the highest standards of care.”

The funding has been distributed to 20 NHS and university partnerships across England through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Chris Whitty, chief scientific advisor, said: “The future of NHS care depends on the science we do now. This new funding will enable clinical researchers to keep pushing for medical breakthroughs. The NIHR biomedical research centres announced today offer huge potential benefits for patients across the country.”

Jacintha Sivarajah, ​​head of medical affairs at ABPI,  added: “This investment in the future of UK biomedical science is a signal that this government understands the value of investing in innovation.”