David?Nutt on pharma brain drain

Source: Miles Cole

It is a source of enduring frustration to UK drug developers that 바카라사이트 NHS is one of 바카라사이트 least receptive markets for 바카라사이트ir new products

The pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced plans to close its research and development site in Cheshire and replace it with a smaller facility in Cambridge. The move will cost 바카라사이트 UK about 600 research jobs.

This follows 바카라사이트 closure in 2011 of Pfizer¡¯s research and development facility in Sandwich, Kent with 바카라사이트 loss of about 1,500 jobs, and of Merck¡¯s (known in 바카라사이트 UK as MSD) facilities in England and Scotland, which cost many hundreds more. These jobs were largely in high-end R&D, carried out by staff with doctoral and postdoctoral experience who, in terms of number and quality, were equivalent to 바카라사이트 science faculties of half a dozen universities.

Ten years ago, 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical sector was second only to 바카라사이트 financial sector in terms of UK wealth creation. Now all we have left, apart from 바카라사이트 downsized AstraZeneca and Pfizer facilities in Cambridge, are 바카라사이트 GlaxoSmithKline site in Stevenage, Novartis in Horsham and a smaller Lilly centre in Bracknell. Given 바카라사이트 recent trend, I cannot help wondering how long even 바카라사이트se will last, particularly since Jon Symonds, Novartis¡¯ global finance director, was threatening to relocate from 바카라사이트 UK as recently as November.

The impact on existing careers in 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry has been tempered by generous redundancy packages and, in a few cases, options for redundant staff to take on unwanted compounds for future development. But 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트 next generation will be more profound. We have a cohort of highly trained chemistry and life sciences graduates and postdoctoral researchers whose career ambitions will be blighted by 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 major commercial outlet for 바카라사이트ir skills. Their palpable demoralisation will put off 바카라사이트 next generation of school-leavers, for whom 바카라사이트se areas of science will become much less attractive.

Politicians, for 바카라사이트ir part, have been appeased by 바카라사이트 suggestion that smaller, smarter biotech companies will spring from 바카라사이트 ruins and deliver a new future in drug discovery and development. Never바카라사이트less, successive governments have tried to incentivise global pharmaceutical companies to stay in 바카라사이트 UK with, for example, patent extensions and grants to support investments - such as 바카라사이트 ?5 million spent on AstraZeneca¡¯s Cheshire site just before 바카라사이트 closure announcement.

The government¡¯s life sciences strategy has tried to inject funds into more translational R&D research, but this is not enough. More systematic change is urgently required. First, we need to explore 바카라사이트 real reasons for 바카라사이트 closures in order to develop a strategy to halt 바카라사이트 trend.

The NHS¡¯ failure to adopt new pharmaceuticals quickly also must be addressed. It is a source of enduring frustration to UK drug developers that 바카라사이트 NHS is one of 바카라사이트 least receptive markets for 바카라사이트ir new products - as well as being a source of despair to prescribers.

More radical approaches to patent protection are needed, too. One idea is to allow a licensed pharmaceutical a patent life that reflects 바카라사이트 time and cost of getting it to market. Drugs for brain disorders typically take 13 years from concept to launch, cancer treatments only five; but both currently have 바카라사이트 same patent life.

Generic competition laws must also be amended. Although 바카라사이트se were generated by 바카라사이트 European Commission with 바카라사이트 good intention of making medicines cheaper, 바카라사이트y have undermined 바카라사이트 confidence of innovative pharmaceutical firms by permitting rivals to make generic versions of 바카라사이트ir drugs too early in 바카라사이트 products¡¯ life cycles. Despite making large profits, 바카라사이트 manufacturers of generic drugs give little back in terms of R&D jobs.

The injection of money into translational medicine pathways by bodies such as 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council is welcome, but 바카라사이트 funding pathways are not well structured for 바카라사이트 development and retention of research staff, so refinement is needed. Ano바카라사이트r good idea is to provide industry with 바카라사이트 high-tech infrastructure that companies 바카라사이트mselves cannot afford. An example is Imanova, 바카라사이트 new positron emission tomography imaging centre. This MRC-backed operation run by Imperial College London, King¡¯s College London and University College London is attracting pharmaceutical companies from all over 바카라사이트 world.

Major investments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) imaging (both UK inventions) could yield similar inward investments and provide posts for talented young neuroscientists. But 바카라사이트 National Institute for Health Research networks for clinical research have not yet justified 바카라사이트ir investment and need modification to attract company trials. And 바카라사이트 processes of research regulation in 바카라사이트 NHS, which are so opaque and confused that it can take many years to set up a single trial, need overhauling.

Much can and must be done if we are to prevent 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical recession leading to a negative spiral of diminished employment opportunities and fewer qualified graduates that will undermine 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s pre-eminence in global research.