Drugs bill misconceptions uncovered by the ABPI
Nearly three-quarters of people in the UK believe that the NHS spends a far higher proportion of its budget on innovative medicines than it actually does, according to a survey by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
Nearly three-quarters of people in the UK believe that the NHS spends a far higher proportion of its budget on innovative medicines than it actually does, according to a survey by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
The survey showed that only 14% of respondents estimated the figure approximately correctly at around 12% of budget, while almost the same proportion - 13% - believed that it accounted for more than half the NHS drugs spend.
'People will be astonished to discover that all the benefits they have come to associate with modern medicines are achieved at such relatively low cost to the NHS,' said Dr Trevor Jones, director general of the ABPI.
The survey also showed that, while an over-whelming majority of people want medicines to be a top priority for scientific research in the UK, 63% do not know that this is already the case. The pharmaceutical industry funds about one-third of the UK's industrial r&d, amounting to nearly £9m every day. In fact, the UK is second only to the US in discovering new treatments, and a quarter of the world's top 100 medicines originated here. Respondents were also overwhelmingly in favour of increased Government support for medicines research and encouragement for pharma companies to invest in the UK.
Most people named cancer as the greatest threat to health: it is the disease for which 62% of people would like a cure and 46% of people are more afraid of contracting it than any other disease. It was also identified, jointly with heart disease, as the nation's biggest killer.
The pharmaceutical industry has also targeted cancer as one of its prime targets for medicines research, Dr Jones pointed out. It has been estimated that some 500 new medicines are in various stages of clinical trial.
'People may not understand just how much effort actually goes into medicines research, but these results make it clear that they do understand its importance,' said Dr Jones. 'The message is clear that the industry's ability to innovate and provide world-beating medicines has the support of people in the UK.'