On Monday 1 December 2025, the UK Government announced a trade deal between the UK and US to secure and expand access to vital drugs and to safeguard our medicines supply chain.
Professor Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, responded to the announcement:
“A thriving UK life sciences sector is vital for patients - delivering both the drugs that keep us well and the research that helps us live healthier lives. Holding medicines to a higher standard than other health interventions has fundamentally undervalued their contribution to patient care.
We welcome the Government’s intention to increase investment in medicines. This move better reflects the true value and benefit that medical science brings to patient care by supporting faster, fairer access to innovative treatments.
Without competitive pricing and assessment frameworks, the UK risks losing cutting-edge research and clinical trials to other countries - ultimately lowering standards of care. This represents an important step towards better patient outcomes and maintaining the infrastructure where today’s research becomes tomorrow’s care.”
Read the announcement on the Government's website
The Academy's response to the announcement has been covered by The Times, Times Radio, and trade media including Manufacturing Chemist.