ABPI welcomes new NHS research guidance for integrated care systems

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has said it welcomes NHS England’s new research guidance for integrated care systems (ICSs), which have legal duties and other requirements that relate to research.

The guidance gives ICSs advice on meeting the legal requirements under the 2022 Health and Care Act, including promoting research, facilitating the use of research evidence, and reporting on research activity to NHS England.

An overview of research governance and the contractual requirements for delivering research is also included within the guidance, as well as a recommendation that ICSs develop a research strategy that is aligned with their five-year plan and appoint an executive lead for research.

ABPI's director of research policy, Jennifer Harris, said: “This guidance is clear on what good research practice looks like and it’s great to see it out and available for the NHS to use.

“A research-active NHS delivers huge value to patients, staff and the system itself. We hope that putting this guidance into action will help ICSs realise the huge benefits that research can offer, and help make the UK once again a destination of choice for developing the medical breakthroughs people need.”

Among the new guidance is a section dedicated to reiterating the value provided by industry trials and stressing the impact that fast study set-up time frames and meeting recruitment targets have on the UK's global competitiveness.

Around 25% of the world’s top 100 prescription medicines are discovered and developed in the UK, according to NHS England.

‘[This guidance] supports ICSs to maximise the value of their duties around research for the benefit of their population’s health and care and, through coordination across ICSs, for national and international impact,’ it said.

Earlier this month, ABPI published a new set of proposals for the UK government aimed at supporting both the NHS and economy.

Included in the proposals are calls for a fixed rebate rate of 6.88% on all eligible NHS medicine sales to be paid by the industry, with the association claiming the levy would give the health service more than £1bn a year – around £300m more than the average delivered under the old scheme before 2023.