Dame , Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology
Committee, has written to the Health
Secretary, Wes Streeting, to warn that
urgent changes to the processes
behind pricing and uptake of new medicines
and health technologies are needed to restore
confidence in the UK's life sciences sector.
This letter comes after the Committee held evidence
sessions in September and October 2025 with
pharmaceutical companies, representatives from NICE, the Office
for Life Sciences (OLS) and the government.
The Chair outlines the sector's concerns
about the UK's current system of pricing, uptake and
access to medicines and
technologies, stating that NICE's processes are
“needlessly complex.” She warns the government
that the sector has “lost confidence in the credibility of
successive UK governments to deliver” in this area.
The letter expresses concern about the
influence of US trade talks on the UK's
domestic life sciences and health policy. For
example, Dr Zubir Ahmed, Minister at the
Department of Health and Social Care, told the
Committee that VPAG negotiations had been “usurped” by these
talks.
The committee may revisit this issue in
due course, and will follow the progress
of negotiations with the US and announcements
in the upcoming Budget.
The Chair asks the Health Secretary to provide details
on how the government will ensure US trade
negotiations do not compromise domestic health policy
ambitions, and how the government will work to
restore confidence within the life sciences sector. She
has given the Health Secretary until 26 November, the
day of the Budget, to reply.
The letter will be available to view on the Committee's website at
00.01 on Wednesday 19 November.
Dame , Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology
Committee, said:
“It is clear to the committee that the life
sciences sector has lost confidence in
the credibility of the UK Government to deliver on its
promises. We are calling on the
Health Secretary to
outline what representations he has made to
the Treasury to help restore this confidence in
the upcoming Budget.
“Additionally, the committee
has serious concerns about the
impact of trade talks with the US on domestic
policy in this area. To many, it looks like
the UK lacks sovereignty over key NHS pricing
decisions, and I urge the Health Secretary to make clear
how he
will ensure these trade negotiations don't take
precedence
over domestic policy priorities.”
