I am pleased that this year’s Annual Review records some of the outstanding achievements that the Association has made during 2003.

The UK continues to be a world leader in the discovery and development of new and innovative medicines, and patients in Britain are often the first to benefit from them. The UK is a good place to do research, and the introduction of a joint ABPI Department of Health Model Clinical Trials Agreement will make arrangements for clinical trials carried out in the NHS easier and faster, without compromising their essential safety.

But our innovative research and development is to no avail unless NHS patients are to have the benefit from them. Britain is almost at the bottom of the European league table in its uptake of scientific and medicines research. This has been our top priority. The result of lengthy consultations about the effectiveness of National Institute for Clinical Excellence decisions should now bring benefits for patients. The ABPI has stressed time and time again that the key issue is that NICE guidance must be properly and promptly implemented. Failure to do so allows the practice of postcode prescribing to continue and patients suffer unnecessarily.

We are also working with the NHS and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of National Service Frameworks for mental health, diabetes, renal services, children’s health and older people. Setting standards must bring better care for people whose lives depend on these services.

A small number of animal extremists are continuing to harass both companies and the dedicated individuals working in the industry and other research organisations. The ABPI has had notable success in lobbying the Government for amendments to the legislation that protects them. We believe that more action is needed, particularly the introduction of legislation to prevent these extremists from destroying our ability to conduct the vital research necessary for the benefit of patients all over the world.

Our success in establishing ABPI Scotland has been followed by the opening of a new office, ABPI Cymru Wales, in Cardiff, close to the National Assembly. It will act as the voice of the pharmaceutical industry in Wales, able to respond quickly to devolution issues and the changing political context in
the principality.

I am confident that the ABPI is not only keeping up with the constantly changing industry environment, but is actually leading those changes.

Professor Trevor M Jones CBE
Director General