UK Pharma Crisis: A Desperate Plea from Patients as Investment Dries Up
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called on big pharmaceutical companies to invest more in Britain, warning that if they don't, patients will suffer. The government is set to announce a new pricing strategy for NHS drugs by the end of this week, with potential price hikes ranging up to 25%. However, it's unclear whether this will be enough to tempt companies back into investment.
The pharma industry is facing a perfect storm of challenges, from geopolitics to economic uncertainty. Merck's decision to scrap plans for a £1 billion research centre in London was the first domino to fall, and since then nearly £2 billion worth of projects have been scrapped or paused. This has left over 1,000 jobs hanging in the balance.
For patients, the impact will be devastating. For Giles Lomax, CEO of charity Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the consequences could be catastrophic. "Patients will suffer" if the standoff continues, he warns. SMA is a neuromuscular condition that causes progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Lomax's own twins have SMA type 2, and he knows firsthand how devastating the lack of access to life-saving treatments can be.
Lomax points out that better drugs don't just cost money - they save lives. The NHS list price for Zolgensma, a one-off injection developed by Novartis, is eye-watering at £1.8m. But if given early, it can enable children to lead normal lives. A care package for a child could cost £300,000 a year, so in six years, the cost of Zolgensma would be equivalent.
The problem is that companies like Merck are pulling out of investment due to high prices in the US and low costs in the UK. Janet Hemingway, professor of vector biology, warns that this is not just about patients - it's about the entire health system. "Infectious disease treatments are effectively a broken market," she says. Low prices mean companies can't invest in research, and governments have to rely on philanthropy to develop new drugs.
The crisis has already taken its toll on graduate jobs in the industry. David Poolman, 22, graduated from the University of Bath with a degree in biomedical sciences but found it hard to get a job as a research assistant. "It's not encouraging if companies are pulling out of the UK," he says. With only 170 candidates for one role that he applied for, and many more vying for PhD positions, Poolman fears for the future of science in the UK.
The impact will also be felt by companies like British Land, which is developing new lab space. Michael Wiseman, head of campuses, recalls how Merck's investment was seen as a major coup just three years ago. "There was something symbolic about it," he says. But now, nearly 10% of lab space sits vacant, with the rate doubling in the year to June.
Wiseman remains cautiously optimistic that smaller biotech firms will fill the gap left by bigger companies. His forecast is that the industry will bounce back, but for now, patients are facing a desperate situation.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called on big pharmaceutical companies to invest more in Britain, warning that if they don't, patients will suffer. The government is set to announce a new pricing strategy for NHS drugs by the end of this week, with potential price hikes ranging up to 25%. However, it's unclear whether this will be enough to tempt companies back into investment.
The pharma industry is facing a perfect storm of challenges, from geopolitics to economic uncertainty. Merck's decision to scrap plans for a £1 billion research centre in London was the first domino to fall, and since then nearly £2 billion worth of projects have been scrapped or paused. This has left over 1,000 jobs hanging in the balance.
For patients, the impact will be devastating. For Giles Lomax, CEO of charity Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the consequences could be catastrophic. "Patients will suffer" if the standoff continues, he warns. SMA is a neuromuscular condition that causes progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Lomax's own twins have SMA type 2, and he knows firsthand how devastating the lack of access to life-saving treatments can be.
Lomax points out that better drugs don't just cost money - they save lives. The NHS list price for Zolgensma, a one-off injection developed by Novartis, is eye-watering at £1.8m. But if given early, it can enable children to lead normal lives. A care package for a child could cost £300,000 a year, so in six years, the cost of Zolgensma would be equivalent.
The problem is that companies like Merck are pulling out of investment due to high prices in the US and low costs in the UK. Janet Hemingway, professor of vector biology, warns that this is not just about patients - it's about the entire health system. "Infectious disease treatments are effectively a broken market," she says. Low prices mean companies can't invest in research, and governments have to rely on philanthropy to develop new drugs.
The crisis has already taken its toll on graduate jobs in the industry. David Poolman, 22, graduated from the University of Bath with a degree in biomedical sciences but found it hard to get a job as a research assistant. "It's not encouraging if companies are pulling out of the UK," he says. With only 170 candidates for one role that he applied for, and many more vying for PhD positions, Poolman fears for the future of science in the UK.
The impact will also be felt by companies like British Land, which is developing new lab space. Michael Wiseman, head of campuses, recalls how Merck's investment was seen as a major coup just three years ago. "There was something symbolic about it," he says. But now, nearly 10% of lab space sits vacant, with the rate doubling in the year to June.
Wiseman remains cautiously optimistic that smaller biotech firms will fill the gap left by bigger companies. His forecast is that the industry will bounce back, but for now, patients are facing a desperate situation.
! It's like, I know they're trying to make sure people can afford their meds and all, but what about the actual research and development? Like, how are they gonna find new cures if nobody's investing in it? And what about those poor patients who need life-saving treatments? £1.8m for a one-off injection is insane 
! I mean, I know it saves lives and all, but come on... 
And now that Merck's pulled out of the UK, it's like... who's gonna pick up the slack? 
I just hope those smaller biotech firms can step in and fill the gap. We need to get some money flowing into this industry ASAP 
, no wonder big pharma's running away from investment 
... patients will suffer for sure, but at least it'll be good for the economy, right? 
. I mean, think about it, £1.8m for a one-off injection might seem crazy, but that's the cost of life-saving treatments like Zolgensma 
. And it's not just about the price, it's about companies pulling out due to economic uncertainty and low prices in the UK 
. We can't rely on philanthropy alone to develop new drugs 
. Someone needs to step up and invest in research and development ASAP 
!
but at the same time, you can't just give out free money to companies who aren't investing enough in research. it's a catch-22 situation.
but for now, let's be real, patients are going to suffer 
The NHS list price for Zolgensma is £1.8m, which is just insane! 
And it's not just the cost of treatment, but also the impact on graduate jobs in the industry 
. David Poolman's story about struggling to get a job as a research assistant is heartbreaking 
. First of all, 25% price hikes? That's like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Pharmaceutical companies need to invest in research, not just line their pockets with cash. I mean, what's the point of having a £1 billion research centre if you're not gonna use it to make life-saving meds? 
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. Now, it's all about who's got the most connections and how much cash they're willing to throw at it 
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. What do you guys think? Should we just sit back and watch as patients suffer while big pharma gets rich off the backs of the vulnerable? 
the US market is already pricing companies outta business, so now they're all like 'meh' about UK investments 
170 PhD positions and counting? that's like, not a future for science 
w/ smaller biotechs trying to fill the gap tho, idk if it'll be enough 
still holdin out hope 4 better days 
I mean, I've seen those prices for NHS drugs go through the roof - £1.8m for a one-off injection is insane 
. We need to act fast to support patients, researchers, and the entire pharma industry in the UK 
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. Can't help but think about Giles Lomax's twins with SMA type 2... that one-off injection for £1.8m is a life-changer 
I mean, what's new? Big pharma just decides to leave because they don't like the price of their meds in the UK 
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. "Oh, we need you to invest in R&D or else our entire health system will fall apart" 
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. If not, we risk losing the next generation of scientists and researchers who could lead breakthroughs 
? did u watch that new episode of stranger things? 