FPM statement on the publication of the UK Government’s ‘Life Sciences Vision’

FPM welcomes the UK Life Science Vision and the ambition to tackle future disease challenges. We support the vision to develop a strong talent pool across industry, academia, and the NHS, and that the sector has access to the variety of skills it needs to support successful research, evaluation, innovation and delivery to realise improvements in public health as rapidly as possible.

FPM’s mission is to advance the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine by working to develop and maintain competence, ethics and integrity and the highest professional standards in the specialty for the benefit of the public. This includes the expertise needed to develop new medicines. We are committed to supporting our members and the sector to have the skills, capabilities and competence to develop medicines of the future.

Though the vision does make reference to antimicrobial resistance, we would encourage a focus on the development of novel antimicrobials and antivirals, especially in the application of bacteriophage antimicrobials, which have great potential. FPM is also committed to reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for all patients, both in the UK and globally, and we look forward to supporting this ambition.