ABPI Publications

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General ABPI Publications

Animal research for human medicines.
Turning a scientific theory into a new medicine now takes, on average, 12 years. During that time, computer models of new molecules will be studied, thousands of variations will be investigated in the test tube and a small number will go on to be studied in animals. Then, if doctors and scientists are confident they can do so without undue risks, the potential new medicine will be studied in people.

How the NHS benefits from medicines.
The Pharmaceutical Industry supports the Governments commitment to quality and the encouragement of the best use of clinically effective techniques throughout the NHS. This approach may well involve greater use of medicines, both to prevent and treat ill health., in the best long-term interests of both patients and taxpayers.

The cost of Medicines - Good value for patients
Far from spending too much on medicines, there is a strong case to be made that more spending on medicines would benefit patients, and frequently help drive down other more expensive health care costs, particularly costly hospital treatment. Yet we continue to spend five time as much as a nation on cigarettes and alcohol.

The Development of Medicines.
After a potential new medicine has been discovered, it takes eight to twelve years and around 350 million pounds to develop it. Before it reaches patients, it has to undergo a complex and lengthy process of selection, testing and development.

Generic Medicines.
Generic medicines are in the main copies of pharmaceutical products that are no longer protected by patent. This makes them attractive to the NHS, because they are generally less expensive than branded products. The prescribing of medicines by their generic name continues to increase, yielding major savings to the NHS.

Investing in Medicines.
The UK based Pharmaceutical Industry is one of the most successful in the World. Already credited with the discovery of more leading medicines than any other country after the USA. It continues to play a leading role in research and development - re-investing seven million pounds per day in the search for new medicines.

Marketing and Medicines
Before patients can benefit from the steady stream of modern medicines flowing from the pharmaceutical industry, an important part of the fast-moving process of innovation is to keep doctors, pharmacists and other health care professionals up to date with the work going on in clinical research and to inform them about the availablility of new medicines.

Nice, Patients and Medicines
Governments proposals to help patients receive treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence by placing statutory obligations on Health Authorities are welcome. But they confirm the fact that - nearly three years on from the launch of NICE - the problem of postcode prescribing continues.

Parallel trade in Medicines.
The Pharmaceutical Industry has long been exposed to parallel trade within the European Union. The practice has grown in recent years to a level that has significant impact on the distribution of medicines in the UK and is now a major drain on NHS resources to overseas.

The value of medicines.
The UK based Pharmaceutical Industry provides a substantial net contribution to the UK economy. It is one of the most successful sectors in Britain, researching, developing and maufacturing for the National Health Service and for millions of people throughout the World. It contributes significantly to health and quality of life. As a major contributor to employment, R&D, government revenues and overseas earnings, it also plays an important part in increasing the wealth of the nation.

Pharmaceutical Industry Issues - 12 key areas for the pharmaceutical industry

1. The industry in britain.
The Pharmaceutical Industry operating in Britain has traditionally enjoyed a relatively competitive environment in the UK, and as demonstrated by its history of balance of trade surpluses, has been able to compete successfuly for business abroad and for inward investment in R&D and maufacture.

2. Access to Medicines - NICE
The objectives of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are to encourage faster uptake of effective new treatments, to promote more equitable access to treatments, to improve the use of NHS resources, and to promote the longer-term interest of the NHS in the development of innovative treatments for the future. NICE has an important job to do: health outcomes in the UK, especially in key areas such as cancer and heart disease, are significantly lower than those in comparable countries; the UK is one of the slowest countries in Europe to take up innovative medicines; and the "postcode lottery" persists.

3. Prodigy
Prodigy, a computerised decsion support system for GP's, was initially a research project set up to test the overall concept of such systems. It has since been through two development phases and phase three is currently in progress, looking at chronic disease management. Despite Department of Health claims that the system will improve the effectiveness of prescribing, evidence from the pilot testing provides limited support for this view.

4. Affordable Medicines
New medicines offer more effective treatment for a whole range of conditions. They also provide a means of delivering preventive care in a cost effective way. Yet some people are still not convinced that society can, or is willing to, afford the medicines that can improve the quality of life for patients.

5. Modernising the Regulations (Deregulation)
Deregulation is typically understood as changing regulations so that the market operates with less Government involvement. Deregulation is a rightful part of the Government's modernistic agenda for the NHS as a whole, and the medicines market is a part of this move.

6. Patient Information
Patients are taking an increasing interest in their health and want to know more about the medicines they are prescribed. This interest is being encourged by Government, doctors, pharmacists and patient groups. The Information Age offers ever more opportunities to gather information about health and health care.

7. Parallel Trade
Parallel trading happens when a product on the market in one country is re-exported to a second country. In the European Union, this is quite legal. The trade is based on the fact that medicines are sold at different prices in different countries and that under EU rules, they can be moved around at will.

8. Generic Medicines
The prescribing of generic medicines in Britain is increasing. It is higher than in many other EU countries - more than 66% of all prescriptions are written generically. This compares with 35% only 15 years ago. In some GP surgeries generic prescribing is more than 90%.

9. Research and the Science Base
The Pharmaceutical Industry's long history of innovation in the UK has always been supported by intensive research activity. The vast majority of medicines research carried out in the UK is funded by the pharmaceutical industry, and the continuing strengths of the industry's UK activities are dependent upon the quality of graduates and post graduates emerging from the countries universities.

10. Animal Research
The UK pharmaceutical industry has a well deserved reputation for high standards of animal welfare. The UK already has the most stringent and effective controls in the world, but these are implemented via an unwieldy process that is increasingly making research here unfeasable.

11. Clinical Research
Traditionally, the UK has been an important location for the pharmaceutical industry to carry out its clinical research. For many years the UK has been an important place for the development of new medicines, the NHS has provided a good environment in which to do clinical research and the Medicines Control Agency has provided an efficient regulatory review of clinical trials.

12. Childrens Medicines
About half the medicines prescribed to children are either unlicenced or are not licenced for that specific indication in that particular child. This problem has been recognised for some years and the pharmaceutical industry has been at the forefront of trying to improve the situation.

ABPI Articles

Complying with the ABPI Code - Promotional Material
(Published 07 June 2004)

Before any material is given to you to use, it will have been approved and certified by senior members of your company to make sure that it complies with the Code. The following is intended to give you an understanding of the points which will have been considered. It is NOT intended to be a guide to help you to produce your own material.

Representative calls
(Published 10 May 2004)

Under the ABPI Code of Practice, the principle is that doctors and other health professionals should not be subjected to unacceptable selling techniques. The Code covers the timing and convenience of calls, and prohibits offering any sort of incentive to see a representative.

Running sales meetings in line with the ABPI Code of Practice
(Published 02 April 2004)

The main requirement for company organised or sponsored meetings is that they must be primarily educational activities, rather than social events. Hospitality can be provided, but it must comply with Code requirements in relation to cost, form and appropriateness to the occasion and to the attendees. The principle is that there should be no suggestion that doctors are being ‘wined and dined’ by pharmaceutical companies and hence being unduly influenced in favour of their products.

ABPI Code of Practice - an Overview
(Published 19 January 2004)

All promotional activity undertaken by pharmaceutical companies is covered by the requirements of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Code of Practice. The aim of the Code is that all promotion should be responsible, ethical and professional (It is probably only a coincidence that this abbreviates to ‘R.E.P.’, but it is an easy way to remember it.) The Code itself is a self-regulatory system, but it reflects the requirements of the Medicines Act and the European Advertising Directives, which are legally binding. The Code only covers pharmaceutical companies, while the legislation also covers doctors, pharmacists and other health professionals.