The UK’s life sciences sector has been given a bleak prognosis by industry experts, who warn of a potentially terminal decline if a radical cure is not administered immediately. A flight of capital and a deep rift with the government have left the sector critically ill, with time running out for a successful intervention.
The symptoms of this illness are acute. A planned £1 billion research centre by MSD has been aborted, a sign of severe systemic distress. The condition is complicated by Eli Lilly’s decision to suspend its own investment and Sanofi’s move to reduce its UK presence, indicating the disease is spreading throughout the system.
The diagnosis points to a chronic autoimmune disorder, where the body politic is attacking one of its own vital organs. Deeply entrenched policies on drug pricing, healthcare spending, and revenue clawbacks have created a hostile internal environment that is rejecting innovation and investment.
While the patient’s underlying constitution—its academic and scientific talent—remains strong, it is being overwhelmed. The only hope lies in a course of radical, high-risk surgery on government policy. A “wait-and-see” approach is no longer an option; without immediate and decisive treatment, the prognosis is terminal.