The pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force (PJ, April 15, p598) held its first meeting on April 13 and decided to set up six working groups to carry its agenda forward.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Dr Tom McKillop (joint task-force chairman and chief executive, Astra Zeneca) said: "The United Kingdom has always punched above its weight in the global [pharmaceutical] market. We want to keep it that way."
Four working groups have already been set up. They will consider: (1) the industry's relationship with the UK market and how that affects its global competitiveness; (2) intellectual property; (3) steps to foster a vibrant biopharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals sector and a range of issues concerning the UK as a good place for research and development; and (4) options for the future development of European medicines licensing.
The other two groups, which are to be set up after the task force's next meeting in July, will look at the broader economic climate and the National Health Service as a location for industry clinical studies.