Former Head of MHRA and EMA Advocates EU Membership for UK
Professor Sir Kent Woods, has written a piece in The Guardian newspaper talking about what he sees as the importance of membership of the European Union for the pharma industry.
Professor Sir Kent Woods, the former Chairman of the Management Board of the European Medicines Agency and Chief Executive of the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, has said that the UK would almost certainly lose the headquarters of the EMA, the EU-wide medicines regulatory authority, if there is Brexit. This would mean 800 jobs lost from the UK.
In addition, Sir Kent highlighted the important work that the EMA does in drug safety. In his view, the UK on its own, representing 2.5% of the world pharmaceutical market, would not be able to build an equivalent regulatory structure for a global industry. He went on to say the work on the EU is still work in progress. Many of the biggest challenges this century such as new science and technology, public health, trade and organised crime transcend national borders. He would see the UK as being worse off if it is to withdraw from membership of the EU.
Comment
Sir Kent is the latest voice in the pharma world to come out against Brexit. Sir Andrew Witty, the GSK CEO, has also recently advocated staying in the EU. A recent quarterly Meeting of EMIG (the Ethical Medicines Industry Group) debated the effects of Brexit or otherwise on the pharma industry. Many who attended the meeting were referring to the years of uncertainty facing the industry and the impact on investment if there is Brexit.
There is no doubt that there are many factors that people need to weigh up when they vote on 23 June. The views of many leading names in the pharma sector is just one factor.
Whether there is Brexit or no Brexit, there will be continued interesting times for participants in the pharma sector in the UK, and there will be both challenges and opportunities.