Corbyn announces plan to ‘put public health before private profit’
pharmafile | September 25, 2019 | News story | Research and Development |
Jeremy Corbyn has announced a new plan to set up a state-run drugs manufacturer to sell cheap medications to the NHS saying companies who do not oblige would be threatened with losing research grants.
In his 45-minute keynote speech yesterday Corbyn also outlined one of Labour’s plans for the pharmaceutical industry is to overturn patents on newly discovered drugs, permitting other firms to enter the market and manufacture them at cheaper prices.
In the long-term Labour plans to establish state-owned factories to produce drugs at a much cheaper price than current pharma giants are willing to charge.
The unveiling of the policy came as Corbyn met a nine-year old cystic fibrosis patient who had been unable to gain access to the therapy Orkambi (ivacaftor/lumacaftor) because manufacturer Vertex Pharma had been unable to reach an agreement on pricing with the NHS.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPi), acknowledging the issue, hit back stating that compulsory licensing is not the answer.
Dr Richard Torbett, Executive Director for Commercial Policy at ABPI commented: “The situation with Orkambi is rare, but it is clearly unacceptable, and a solution needs to be found for patients and their families.
“[Licensing would] completely undermine the system for developing new medicines [and] send a hugely negative signal to British scientists and would discourage research in a country that wants to be a leader in innovation.”
The new healthcare policy also says that Labour will fight any attempt by the US government to undermine NHJS drug price control mechanisms in future trade talks.
Other promises made by Corbyn included the abolition of prescription charges for medicines, free home-based care for the elderly, and a four-day working week within a decade.
Nik Kiran
