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Industry Sponsorship Branch roles and responsibilities

  • Last modified date:
    12 March 2007

The main roles of the Branch are:

I. Maintaining the primary channel of communication with the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries

Dialogue is usually through respective trade associations but the Branch is the Government's primary point of contact, either leading on specific industry issues or facilitating/inputting into issues on which the lead lies elsewhere (i.e., either with other parts of the Department of Health, Medicinal Healthcare products regulatory Agency or other government departments). The overall purpose is to ensure that Government's actions and intentions are understood in the industry and the industry's legitimate concerns are understood and addressed within Government.

II. Servicing of regular Ministerial meetings with the various pharmaceutical    and healthcare trade associations

For example:

  • The American Pharmaceutical Group
  • The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
  • The British Pharma Group
  • The Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
  • The Association of the British Healthcare Industries
  • The European Medicines Group
  • The Proprietary Association of Great Britain

III. Issuing certificates of free sale for medical devices only

IV. The Branch also has an interest but is not the policy lead in the following areas:

  • Medical Devices Directive
  • EU enlargement
  • 2001 review of medicines licensing
  • International intellectual property rights
  • European Union orphan medicinal products regulation
  • Data exclusivity
  • Access to medicines in developing countries
  • Paediatric medicines
  • G10 High level Group on innovation and access to medicines

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