"This new fund is good news for access to medicines in Scotland, and the ABPI welcomes it. As with some disease areas, for example, neurological diseases, there are particular challenges around rare and orphan medicines which make it difficult to fit them into the system for assessing more mainstream medicines, and we are pleased that the Scottish Government are addressing them.

"We look forward to further announcements coming from the Scottish Government’s new medicines review around how the criteria for individual patient treatment requests will be altered so that appropriate patients are able to access innovative medicines through the new fund."

Media enquiries

ABPI Press Office
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7747 1410 or +44 (0) 20 7747 1441
Mobile: +44 (0) 7850 312064 or +44 (0) 7808 641811
Email: pressoffice@abpi.org.uk 

Notes to editors

The ABPI represents innovative research-based biopharmaceutical companies, large, medium and small, leading an exciting new era of biosciences in the UK.

Our industry, a major contributor to the economy of the UK, brings life-saving and life-enhancing medicines to patients. Our members supply 90 per cent of all medicines used by the NHS, and are researching and developing over two-thirds of the current medicines pipeline, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of helping patients prevent and overcome diseases.

The ABPI is recognised by Government as the industry body negotiating on behalf of the branded pharmaceutical industry, for statutory consultation requirements including the pricing scheme for medicines in the UK.