Over the past decade, the UK’s spending on medicines has dropped from 15% of the NHS budget down to 9%, while other developed countries typically spend anywhere between 14% and 20%.
At the same time, drug companies have been shifting their focus to the US after Trump threatened huge tariffs on imported medicines.
Back in July, Astra Zeneca announced plans to pour $50bn (£36.9bn) into the US for “medicines manufacturing and R& D [research and development]”.
Just this week, Merck revealed it’s dropping its plan to move into a new building under construction in London’s King’s Cross that was supposed to be ready by 2027.
The company, known as MSD over here, said it will relocate its life sciences research back to the US and cut jobs in the UK. They blamed ongoing government undervaluing of innovative medicines for their decision.
