Government launches Accelerated Access Review call to action
pharmafile | July 14, 2015 | News story | Research and Development | Accelerated Access Review, Sir Hugh Taylor, UK, george freeman, john bell, life sciences minister
The Government is urging pharma companies to participate in the Accelerated Access Review, and will launch a website for firms to contribute directly to its outcome.
Ministers are urging pharma and biotech companies and the ABPI to give their input into the review, which will form the basis of future UK medicines access policy.
On 15 July ministers will launch a new website for the industry’s ideas about how to speed up access to new medicines and technologies. Key questions for the UK biopharma industry will include views on the current regulation landscape, how to make more use of fast track processes, how the NHS can adopt transformative new medicines, and what is possible in the current financial landscape.
The Accelerated Access Review was announced by the life sciences minister George Freeman in November, with the aim of accelerating access to innovative drugs, devices, diagnostics and digital health for NHS patients.
Since then a chair and expert advisory group lead have been appointed – Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust chair Sir Hugh Taylor, and former Academy of Medical Sciences president Professor Sir John Bell, respectively. Several review panel members have also been appointed from the pharma industry, academia, the NHS, medical research councils, patient organisations and health charities.
Sir Hugh told Pharmafile: “The Accelerated Access Review has the potential to make far reaching recommendations to government about how we can speed up the access to new transformative medicines and medical technologies.
“By listening to patients, the public and professionals, we will be able to gather an in-depth knowledge of how this could be achieved. Patients rightly want to be able to access the most up to date 21st century healthcare and we are supporting the Government’s vision of ensuring that our health and care system is one of the best in the world.”
Through the new digital platform, companies will be able to access each of the reviews’ four key work stream areas: identifying need, accelerating development pathways, finding affordable funding models and supporting affordable uptake and adoption. Companies – and others – will also be able to ask questions and leave comments that will feed into the evidence gathering process. The site will be open until 4 September.
The review team plans to publish initial findings in October for comments, and then make a range of clear recommendations by December 2015.
Sir Hugh says: “We want the review to set out new ways of working to develop medicines and medical technologies. It currently takes on average over 10 years and costs around £1 billion to get a new medicine from the lab to the patients. This doesn’t benefit anyone. That’s why we’ve launched a new digital engagement platform; open to anyone, for the public patients or professionals to make their voice heard.
“It’s important that the review listens to what’s happening in the sector; find out what’s working well and what needs to be improved. The new digital platform is just one part of the work that is already underway for the review. We’re already engaging with key stakeholders, holding workshops and gathering evidence. The digital site will enhance this work, making it easier for people to submit ideas evidence and have their voice heard.”
Accelerated Access Review timeline
- November 2014: Life sciences minister George Freeman the Government will look into how it can speed up patients’ access to cost-effective innovative new treatments and diagnostics.
- March 2015: review panel appointed and stakeholder contacted to seek views
- March – June 2015: Meetings with stakeholders
- July 2015: Online platform launched to gather evidence to feed into review
- October 2015: Initial findings due to be published
- December 2015: Final report and recommendations due to be published
Lilian Anekwe
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