UK taxpayers are footing a significant bill for pharmaceutical companies' 'patient access to innovation', but with NHS budgets under pressure and tax rises on the horizon, it's time for the government to demand more from these big pharma players.
A recent exposé has revealed that UK taxpayers are already paying out substantial sums in tax relief to GSK, one of the country's largest pharmaceutical firms. In fact, £486 million was granted as tax relief to the company last year alone - a sum rivaling the entire budget of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which is dedicated to supporting bioscience innovation.
This largesse comes in the form of the UK's 'patent box' tax regime, designed to attract foreign investors. However, critics argue that this system has resulted in UK taxpayers subsidizing GSK's profits on patented drugs at a staggering rate. For instance, when the company demanded £769.50 per dose for its lupus treatment from the NHS, UK taxpayers still managed to claim significant tax relief.
With NHS budgets facing unprecedented pressure and tax rises looming, it's high time the government called out these pharmaceutical giants for the sweetheart deals they're receiving at our expense. The time has come for companies like GSK to be transparent about the extraordinary handouts they're getting from the UK tax system.
				
			A recent exposé has revealed that UK taxpayers are already paying out substantial sums in tax relief to GSK, one of the country's largest pharmaceutical firms. In fact, £486 million was granted as tax relief to the company last year alone - a sum rivaling the entire budget of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which is dedicated to supporting bioscience innovation.
This largesse comes in the form of the UK's 'patent box' tax regime, designed to attract foreign investors. However, critics argue that this system has resulted in UK taxpayers subsidizing GSK's profits on patented drugs at a staggering rate. For instance, when the company demanded £769.50 per dose for its lupus treatment from the NHS, UK taxpayers still managed to claim significant tax relief.
With NHS budgets facing unprecedented pressure and tax rises looming, it's high time the government called out these pharmaceutical giants for the sweetheart deals they're receiving at our expense. The time has come for companies like GSK to be transparent about the extraordinary handouts they're getting from the UK tax system.