Today (27 May 2022), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care, , and the Swedish Minister for
Education, Anna Ekström, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) committing the UK and Sweden to
ongoing co-operation in the life sciences.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the Swedish
Ambassador’s Residence in London, in the presence of King Carl
XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia. Minister for Science and Innovation,
, was also present.
The MoU follows a long tradition of Swedish and UK co-operation,
including the pioneering work achieved by the Anglo-Swedish
company AstraZeneca in developing the coronavirus vaccine, and
will see the 2 nations promoting joint progress across policy
development, technical standards, industry collaboration,
research, and the development and implementation of new
technologies and treatments.
Both the UK and Sweden are world-leaders in the life sciences,
and the Memorandum of Understanding commits our 2 nations to
enhancing co-operation between our governments and to galvanise
our life sciences ecosystems in working together on our shared
strengths and common priorities, covering fields from precision
medicine, clinical trials, pandemic preparedness and
antimicrobial resistance to sustainability, trade, and investment
for the sector.
The UK and Sweden are responsible international actors, leading
the way in tackling global challenges, and this Memorandum of
Understanding will pave the way for stronger business development
and enhanced collaborative opportunities, while delivering on
both the Life Sciences Vision, and the Integrated Review.
