Conference report: Health Research – Partnerships for Success

In December 2011, the UK Government launched its Life Sciences Strategy. A stated aim was to “… bring our science base and the NHS together to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for companies to invest in the discovery, development and commercialisation of medical innovations.”

Nearly a year on, the Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), the BioIndustry Association (BIA) and the NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI) came together to take stock of recent progress towards this goal.

Representatives from industry, academia, the NHS and Government were invited to present their perspectives on the changing face of UK health research, and how new partnerships and alliances are impacting on the development of new medicines.

We hope this summary of a stimulating and constructive conference will illustrate how successful partnerships are placing the UK in an excellent position to address these medical challenges and reaffirm its world-leading status in biopharmaceutical development.