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Our annual review gives me the opportunity to look back on the previous twelve months and assess the progress the industry has made.
I am delighted to see that even more patients have benefited from our members’ endeavours to treat diseases that, only a few years ago, would have been regarded as untreatable. In 2003 some entirely novel medicines were made available to patients, representing ground-breaking developments in therapy.
We have continued to work closely with government across the United Kingdom to ensure that patients receive the benefits of our modern medicines. At the highest level, leading executives from the industry have continued to meet with Government
ministers in the Ministerial Industry Strategy Group to resolve and implement key strategic issues that affect not only the industry, but the interests of Government and patients.
We have worked closely with our European counterparts to bring together a fundamental review of pharmaceutical legislation in advance of the accession of ten new states in May 2004. A
satisfactory outcome on data exclusivity was achieved. The industry has worked towards an acceptance by regulators and other interested parties in the UK of European pharmaceutical industry guidelines for information posted on the Internet.
Looking to the future, 2004 will be an important year because of the negotiations on the future of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme. A satisfactory outcome of this process will be key to the future health of the industry in Britain.
An innovative and strong pharmaceutical industry in the UK
will continue to provide the medicines that people need. With improved access to these new therapies, and better information about them, I am sure that the future will be a healthy one.
Dr John Patterson
President |
