The UK has had great success not only with involvement in the rapid development of vaccines to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but also with its regulatory authority, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), having led the world with approvals of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZenica vaccines. Since then, the MHRA has approved two more rapidly with Moderna and now Novavax.
Let's also remember that the NHS has played its part too in the use of real world evidence to discover the use of particular medicines - remdesivir and dexamethasone - to better treat patients with coronavirus (COVID-19). The world has benefited as a result.
In the meantime, criticism has been levied in some quarters about the speed of roll-out and supply of the vaccines. Despite the incredible and unbelievable speed of vaccine discovery, production and approvals, some will still not be happy with the speed, and may even place blame unfairly. They will always want more.
That of course is natural, particularly when making comparisons with what others may be doing, and in a fight against time against this cruel disease.
However, let's all come back to focusing on the shining light - what pharma, researchers, manufacturers, the regulators and healthcare professionals have achieved in the last year would not have seemed possible just 12 months ago. It's been a very difficult 12 months, but there's been so much to celebrate and recognise huge achievements.
It has been so great to see UK companies, researchers, the NHS and the MHRA leading the way and to give people hope for better times ahead. Well done to everyone involved!