Changing emphasis on research and development (R&D):
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
As treatment decisions are made increasingly on a cost-benefit basis, R&D must address the criteria on which product use will be assessed. Writing in Health-Care Focus, the newsletter of UK industry association ABHI, Oliver Wells points out that "if industry is to maximise its potential, we have to understand - and get involved in - the R&D that is relevant to our customers, and the basis on which they will make treatment decisions in future". Mr Wells is the ABHI representative on the NHS R&D National Forum which was set up earlier this year to bring together major funders of health-related research (see Clinica No 635, p 3).