Associate feature: A Manifesto for Health and Growth

Every advance in medicines – from vaccines to treatments that extend life – depends on strong partnerships between government, the NHS, academia and industry. This “triple helix” drives Scotland’s life sciences growth, contributing over £1.7 billion to the economy and supporting 15,000 high-value jobs. [1]

Scotland has many of the building blocks needed to be a global leader in the research, development and use of cutting-edge medicines and diagnostics – but only if the right policy choices are made now. Uniform and timely access to medicines can help reduce health inequalities, while innovations such as medicines for obesity create new opportunities to address the root causes of ill health.

The next Parliament offers a critical window to reset industrial and NHS innovation policy. Global competition for investment has never been higher. At the same time, health systems have never needed innovation more. The opportunity is real – but unlocking it depends on bold choices that put research, innovation and patient access at the heart of Scotland’s health and industrial strategy.

[1] Fraser of Allander Institute 2023

Our Ambition for Scotland
Scotland has the foundations to lead globally in life sciences. If the right choices are made, the next Parliament could deliver:

• Life sciences as a central pillar of economic growth – attracting investment and creating high-value jobs in Research & Development, clinical trials, advanced manufacturing and NHS partnerships.
• Better health outcomes and fewer people out of work due to ill health – through faster access to breakthrough medicines and vaccines, driving down high rates of treatable mortality.
• A world-leading digital health system – where data and genomic insights guide prevention, treatment and innovation.
• Rapid and consistent patient access to effective medicines – as standard in a healthcare system that is ambitious, agile and internationally competitive.

Our asks of Scotland’s Leaders
To turn this ambition into reality, we ask the next Parliament to:

• Guarantee timely patient access to new medicines – so that NHS clinicians and patients benefit consistently from cutting-edge treatments and vaccines.
• Support Scotland to lead in research and innovation – creating a world-class environment for globally mobile clinical trials, early-stage research and advanced manufacturing.
• Powering Scotland’s health future through effective use of health data – ensuring responsible, interoperable and trusted use of health data for care and research.

This article is sponsored by ABPI Scotland.

The ABPI exists to make the UK the best place in the world to research, develop and use new medicines and vaccines.

We represent companies of all sizes that invest in discovering the medicines of the future.

Our members supply cutting-edge treatments that improve and save the lives of millions of people. We work in partnership with government and the NHS so patients can get new treatments faster and the NHS can plan how much it spends on medicines.

Our role as partners with Scotland’s NHS was recognised this year with the publication by the Scottish Government of a new edition of A Common Understanding – guidance for NHS and industry teams to work together to find new ways of helping patients and the NHS.

https://www.abpi.org.uk/abpi-uk-nations/abpi-scotland/