Thought-leadership event on ‘The 21st century landscape for life sciences: the role of the NHS’

At the invitation of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Life Sciences, Mr George Freeman MP, the Academy jointly with the Wellcome Trust hosted a thought leadership event on ‘The 21st century landscape for life sciences: the role of the NHS’.

The event, which took place on Wednesday 15 October, was chaired by Professor Sir John Bell FRS HonFREng FMedSci and featured opening speeches by Dr Jeremy Farrar OBE FMedSci, Mr George Freeman MP and Professor Sir John Tooke PMedSci, and case study presentations from Professor Simon Lovestone FMedSci and Dr Adrian Bull.

The aims of the meeting were to:

  • Review the progress made since the launch of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy by the Prime Minister in December 2011.
  • Identify key barriers and opportunities to accelerate an integrated UK ‘healthcare innovation economy’.
  • Explore how the UK life sciences ecosystem might change in the coming years.

Delegates considered the following topics in breakout groups:

  • The transformative power of data in the 21st century healthcare landscape, in terms of research, diagnostics and treatment, and patient empowerment. Delegates were asked to examine ways to maximise the use of health data to accelerate the adoption of innovation by the healthcare sector, and review current barriers, incentives and key future functionalities.
  • New models of drug and medical technology research and development, including the shift towards patient-centred research, stratified medicines and earlier access to innovation. Delegates were asked to focus on ways to streamline the development and rapid approval, commissioning and reimbursement of a new generation of targeted products using the NIHR clinical research infrastructure.
  • Accelerating the adoption of innovation by identifying the barriers, incentives and required structures. The role of the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) was examined in this context, as well as that of other organisations that could be encouraged to play a more active role.

The outcomes of the meeting are currently being considered by the Minister and the Office for Life Sciences, and will inform their vision for the UK’s life sciences sector.

Photo courtesy of the Wellcome Library, London.

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