The Prime Minister today launched publication of the final Report of the Task Force that has been looking at the competitiveness of the UK based pharmaceutical industry.

Launching the report in the company of Task Force's joint chairs Tom McKillop, CEO of AstraZeneca and Health Minister Lord Philip Hunt, the Prime Minister said: "The UK pharmaceutical industry is one of our most important and most successful industries. Its products benefit people here and round the world and it makes a substantial contribution to our economic welfare.

"It is a truly global industry. Companies have a real choice about where to invest. The UK cannot rest on its laurels. We have to ensure the UK remains an attractive place for new investment. We set up the Task Force to see what needed to be done and to take action to maintain and develop the UK's competitive edge." Thanking Mr McKillop and Lord Hunt for their work, the Prime Minister added: "The Task Force has done an excellent job. It shows what can be achieved when we work together on issues - both between government and industry and across government." The report sets out action taken or in hand on a range of issues including : Industry and Government agreed on the essential role that intellectual property rights (IPR) and the TRIPs agreement play, and should continue to play, in the flow of innovative medicines.

One of the most important outputs of the Task Force is the renewed industry/Government partnership to work towards improving access to medicines in developing countries.

Streamlining licensing procedures for essential research involving animals has been agreed, cutting red tape and improving animal welfare. This complements amendments to the Criminal Justice and Police Bill and Malicious Communications Act to tackle harassment and intimidation by animals rights campaigners.

A more forward looking strategic dialogue about developments in healthcare and the market for medicines in the UK. For example, Government and industry are engaged in comprehensive discussions about how NICE operates, including its impact uptake of new medicines, on the competitiveness of the industry, and on the economy more generally. These discussions will inform a review of NICE, including all stakeholders, to be held in July.

Involving the industry closely in the development of NHS services - such as ensuring the NHS stays at the forefront of development of modern treatments and research, better use of the NHS database for pharmaceutical research and development, improving information to patients, securing better patient involvement in taking medicines and ways of enabling people to secure better access to those medicines not available on the NHS.

Agreement that new policy measures should not be viewed in isolation, but as part of the overall environment. The impact of new policy directions on UK competitiveness ought to be considered with the pharmaceutical industry prior to implementation.

Industry and government agreed positions on a range of medicines policy issues under discussion in the European Union. The scope of these has included aspects of how the EU medicines licensing system might develop, issues around EU enlargement and some key matters of IPR protection.

Indicators of performance and competitiveness have been agreed which will allow government and industry to measure and monitor the progress of the UK as a competitive location for pharmaceutical investment.

Tom McKillop said: "The UK Government has demonstrated its willingness to work with us on ensuring the UK stays at the forefront of world pharmaceutical industry competitiveness. We have made significant progress on many issues.

"There is work still to be done on matters that affect the competitiveness of the industry but there is a commitment from all of us to maintain the high level of government/industry contact we have enjoyed in the Task Force. This experience has shown us how much is possible when there is commitment and goodwill on both sides." Lord Hunt added: "The Task Force has worked at the centre of a unique relationship between industry and government. We purchase some GBP6 billion worth of pharmaceuticals for the NHS each year, we regulate the industry as part of a European licensing system for the safety, quality and efficacy of its products and we support its significant contribution to the UK economy.

"The Task Force has shown it is possible to reconcile these interests in ways that are mutually beneficial to the industry, to government, to the NHS and its patients and to the nation as a whole. We have produced some important tangible outputs as well as identifying areas where more work needs to be done. One of our most important achievements therefore is agreement on a successful mechanism to take forward the work and spirit of PICTF. We in the UK will carry that spirit forward too in European discussions led by Commissioners Liikanen and Byrne."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Task Force (PICTF) was

set up by the Prime Minister in March 2000 for the Government and industry to work in partnership to see what action needs to be taken to ensure the UK remains an attractive place for the pharmaceutical industry to locate its business in an increasingly competitive global environment.

2. European Commissioners Liikanen and Byrne have established a small high- level group to look at a number of pharmaceutical policy issues. The Group met for the first time on Monday March 26 in Brussels. Lord Hunt is a member of the group.

3. The Task Force members were: Co-chairmen: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health) and Tom McKillop (AstraZeneca) Lord Sainsbury of Turville (Minister for Science and Innovation) Baroness Blackstone (Minister of State for Education and Employment) Nick Raynsford MP (Minister for Housing and Planning) Stephen Timms MP (Financial Secretary) Nigel Crisp, Permanent Secretary/Chief Executive DH Sir Richard Sykes (Glaxo Wellcome) J-P Garnier (SmithKline Beecham) Bill Fullager (ABPI President and Novartis) Vincent Lawton (APG Chairman and MSD) Trevor Jones (ABPI Director-General) 4. Copies of the final report are available on the website http://www.doh.gov.uk/pictf.

5. For further information please call the Department of Health Media Centre on 020 7210 5230 or the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on 020 7747 1410.

((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).