New Government office
established to reinforce success of life sciences industry
DEPARTMENT FOR
INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release (042) issued by COI
News Distribution Service on 3 April 2009
A new Office for
Life Sciences (OLS) has been created to address key issues
affecting the pharmaceutical, medical biotech and devices sectors.
The OLS is tasked, by the end of July 2009, with taking action to
make a real difference to the operating environment for life
sciences companies by working across Government to address a range
of key issues, including those raised in The Review and Refresh of
Bioscience 2015.
Working with Departments responsible for these areas, the virtual
Office will co-ordinate national policy, undertaking work to build
a sustainable and integrated life sciences industry in the future.
It will look at what steps can be taken to improve access to
finance for SMEs and to stimulate investment in the life sciences industry.
It will also be considering how the NHS can be more effective as
a champion of innovation, possible ways of getting medicines onto
the market faster, how the UK can become a more attractive base
for clinical trials, and effectively market the industry globally.
Announced by the Prime Minister at an industry summit in January,
the Office is led by Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson.
Dr Robert Sullivan has been appointed Director of the Office for
Life Sciences, which is part of the Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills.
Lord Drayson said:
"Life science is one of the key strategic sectors of the
future. It will have a vital contribution to make as we come
through this recession - therefore it is essential that we ensure
the industry is in a position to flourish.
"We must focus on rebalancing the economy towards those
sectors where we have a competitive advantage and opportunity to
be a global leader.
"This new Office represents the government's commitment
to safeguarding the future of our life sciences industry, creating
an environment where everyone from large pharmaceuticals to small
biotech and medical tech companies can prosper. The skills,
expertise and intellectual property these businesses possess are
extremely valuable to the future of this country".
The OLS is working closely with industry. The Government is
working with the Association of British Healthcare Industries
(ABHI), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI),
the BioIndustry Association (BIA), the British In Vitro
Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) and others, and encouraging
companies to get involved via their trade associations.
It is also responsible for delivering a joint Industrial Strategy
this summer for the Life Sciences, which will recognise the
integrated nature of the various life sciences sectors and the
need for improving cross-Government policy.
The Office is being created within DIUS, initially including
staff secondments from key departments such as the Department of
Health, BERR and the Treasury. A wider "virtual team"
is being set up to bring together personnel from across the whole
of Whitehall to ensure a joined up approach in the short term and
for the development of the joint Strategy for this summer.
Simon Cartmell, CEO of ApaTech, an orthobiologics company, said:
"All life science SMEs will welcome the creation of the OLS
as a means of rejuvenating the link between the UK's world
leading scientific and clinical research capabilities, the
excellent human resource pool in the UK and our home market
customer, the NHS.
"Improved access to capitalise on these capabilities will
help ensure that the life science industries can continue to
compete globally and remain one of the UK's strategic
industrial segments".
Aisling Burnand, Chief Executive of the BioIndustry Association said:
"The establishment of this Office comes at a critical time
for many UK bioscience companies which are now starved of cash and
having to cut projects in order to survive. As Lord Drayson has
identified, implementation of measures to secure the future of the
UK's life sciences industry is needed within the next six months.
"Of particular importance to our sector are those measures
which have the potential to reinvigorate the financing of
bioscience companies. The BIA is fully engaged and committed to
playing its part to ensure the success of this initiative".
Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of the Association of British
Healthcare Industries said:
"Industry welcomes the Government's urgent response to
the problems facing the life sciences industries. Medical devices
and diagnostics have the potential to support the UK's drive
for better health at better value, whilst creating a virtuous
circle of economic development strongly rooted in high-value
R&D-linked jobs.
"Rapid action is needed to make progress in improving uptake
of medical technologies as well as with business-threatening
issues such as the cost and shortage of capital, as well as late
payment. Through the Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy
Group, industry has already been working together with Government
to ensure that strategic issues are properly considered in
Government policy and ABHI is pleased to provide the secretariat
for that process, as it is to support the launch of the Office for
Life Sciences".
Richard Barker, Director General of the Association of the
British Pharmaceutical Industry said:
"We welcome the Government's acknowledgement that life
sciences is a key strategic sector and its commitment to creating
an environment where the discovery of new medicines can prosper.
The UK is facing fierce competition from around the world. If it
is to continue to be a leader, co-ordinated and swift action is required.
"The Government needs to protect and build the UK's
scientific talent base and do all it can to encourage the NHS to
be a champion of innovation by speeding up access to new medicines
and boosting clinical trials. The ABPI will be working closely
with the OLS and the other trade associations involved to ensure
the success of our joint mission to create a vibrant life sciences
sector for the future."
Notes to Editors
1. The creation of the virtual Office for Life Sciences was
announced by the Prime Minister on the 27th January at a Number 10
Summit. The Office is part of the Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills.
2. In his speech to the Foundation for Science and Technology
Lord Drayson announced his determination to work with industries
that are the engines for growth in the UK economy as it comes out
of recession. For a full version of the FST Lecture on 4 February
2009, go to http://www.dius.gov.uk/news_and_speeches/speeches/lord_drayson/fst
3. Lord Mandelson pledged his commitment to working with Lord
Drayson and the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, on
the subject of life sciences in his Mansion House speech on 4
March 2009. The full text can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/ministerialteam/Speeches/page50353.html
4. The 'Review and Refresh of Bioscience 2015' updates
'Bioscience 2015', which was published by the Bioscience
Innovation and Growth Team (BIGT) and set out a vision for the UK
medical bioscience sector in the year 2015. It was carried out
under the Chairmanship of Sir David Cooksey, and measures progress
made against the original Bioscience 2015 vision and identifies
new ideas and proposals that could promote the future
competitiveness of the UK medical bioscience sector. The
Government response is due shortly.
5. For media enquiries only contact Matthew Barker in the DIUS
press office on 0203 300 8126.