ABPI chief backs call to collaborate with EU on life sciences

The ministers outlined plans for the regulation of medicines as the UK leaves the EU in a letter published in the Financial Times on Monday (3 July).

According to the FT, the letter said “the UK would like to find a way to continue to collaborate with the EU, in the interests of public health and safety”.

In response, ABPI chief executive Mike Thompson said: “This is a great first step and we look forward to seeing more detail in the coming weeks and months.”

He added that the letter also signalled “a readiness to take a pragmatic approach to Brexit negotiations that puts people’s health first”.

Thompson argued that if patients in Europe were to continue to get safe and effective medicines in a timely fashion, the focus must be on agreeing regulatory partnership between the UK and the EU.

He said: "The timeframes we need to meet to ensure no disruption or delay mean that confirmation of a reciprocal approach from the EU would provide welcome certainty to more than 500 million patients."