UK's Labour Party Says It Supports Pharma Industry

UK shadow Health Minister Tessa Jowell (Member of Parliament forDulwich) pledged that a future Labour government would protect and nurture the pharmaceutical industry, when she addressed key industry figures at an RDL Directors Forum luncheon to outline New Labour's blueprint to rebuild and strengthen the health service.

The meeting was held in February, but the backers of the RDL forum, presumably with the UK General Election now set for May 1 in mind, have just released a report of Ms Jowell's comments. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry was not represented, as the lunch clashed with a meeting of its own, an ABPI spokesman told the Marketletter.

Ms Jowell is said to have promised debate on issues such as generic substitution and specialist prescriptions of expensive new drugs, and said that she clearly recognized the fears of pharmacists about the loss of resale price maintenance.