Office for Life Sciences
The Office for Life Sciences (OLS) is part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). We work to ensure a competitive UK life sciences industry (comprising the pharmaceutical, medical technology, medical biotechnology and industrial biotechnology sectors) and to secure investment.
The Government’s new Strategy for UK Life Sciences
On 5 December 2011, the Prime Minister launched the Government’s Strategy for UK life sciences (PDF, 1.0 Mb) to help life sciences businesses grow and succeed. The strategy focuses on the health-related aspects of the sector. It is a long-term strategy, looking forward ten to 15 years, building on the March 2011 Plan for growth. It was launched alongside, and will be implemented in collaboration with, the NHS Chief Executive’s Review: Innovation, health and wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS.
The Strategy for UK life Sciences is based on three pillars:
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Building a UK life sciences ecosystem: the Government will make it easier for researchers to commercialise academic research, will place clinical research at the heart of the NHS, and will empower patients to participate in research
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Attracting, developing and rewarding talent: the Government will introduce measures to ensure that the UK attracts and nurtures world-leading talent and develops scientific excellence, These measures will also ensure that the UK offers exciting and rewarding careers for clinicians, scientists and technicians from all around the world
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Overcoming barriers and creating incentives for the promotion of healthcare innovation: the Government is introducing measures to incentivise early-stage investment and nurture the best innovations through the translational funding gap to a point at which they can secure follow-on investment. The Government will continue to reduce the bureaucracy of setting up clinical trials to ensure that patients have access to promising, cost-effective new treatments.
The latest report on the bioscience and health technology database, Strength and opportunity 2011 (PDF, 3.4 Mb) , is also available from 5 December 2011.
Overview
The UK has one of the strongest and most productive life sciences industry’s in the world, contributing to patient well-being as well as supporting growth.
The industry is high-tech, innovative, and highly diverse, spanning pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology and has applications across many other sectors. Through the development of innovative medicines, medical technologies and services, its businesses contribute to a stronger and fairer society, helping people enjoy better health, well-being and quality of life. They are also helping the UK improve its sustainability and reduce carbonisation.
The Government’s ambition is to build on and foster these strengths and to respond to the changing global commercial environment. The Government wants to make this country the location of choice for pioneering life sciences R&D and manufacturing investment, so that Life Sciences will continue to be vibrant in the UK and will be a key contributor to sustained economic growth and health improvements. The Strategy for UK life sciences (PDF, 1.0 Mb) introduces measures to realise this vision.
The OLS works closely with the Department of Health, championing biotechnology and the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries. We also work with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and other Departments, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the NHS and the life sciences industry.
