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Tuesday, February 8 2005
Real concern over an education system that is failing to provide
industry with sufficient high calibre scientists to meet its needs
has been expressed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical
Industry (ABPI) in its evidence to the House of Commons Science
and Technology Committee inquiry into strategic science provision
in English universities.
And the evidence supplied by the ABPI is accompanied by a warning
that a national strategy for key academic subjects must replace
the current situation where local university finance, and funding
councils that do not acknowledge industry's requirements, determine
the future of education.
As well as employing science graduates in its £9 million-a-day
programme of researching and developing new medicines, the pharmaceutical
sector is also a significant supporter of academic research. As
such, it is well placed to provide expert opinion to the inquiry.
The ABPI's evidence shows that:
- Science departments are increasingly vulnerable to closure as
universities struggle to meet financial targets.
- The quality of graduates is deteriorating from all but the leading
universities, and the current funding situation means that this
can only accelerate in the future. There is particular concern
over the supply of chemists and in vivo pharmacologists.
- In recent years, fewer doctors are being trained in clinical
pharmacology. Clinical pharmacologists have a vital role in the
safety testing of new medicines.
- The dramatic drop in the number of teachers holding degrees
in chemistry and physics in schools will inevitably lead to a
decline in the number of pupils taking science courses at university,
especially as many of the existing qualified teachers are nearing
retirement age.
- The sad truth is that the UK pharmaceutical industry is rapidly
becoming dependant on scientists who have trained abroad. Given
that the strength of the science base in this country has been
one of the major reasons why so many pharmaceutical companies
have decided to locate their businesses here, this is a matter
for grave concern," said Dr Philip Wright, Director of Science
and Technology at the ABPI.
- For too long, financial imperatives, driven by the Government's
determination to expand higher education, have driven individual
universities to make decisions on which courses to promote and
which to cease. This means that the overall needs of British industry
are not being properly taken into account.
- A pool of quality science talent should be created, not just
to enter industry, but also to sustain academia and to provide
the qualified teachers who can encourage pupils to pursue science
in higher education."
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