§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS drugs bill has been taken by the biopharmaceutical sector in each of the last five years. [29852]
169W
§ Mr. MilburnThe cost of biopharmaceutical medicines is not separately identified in the information reported on National Health Service pharmaceutical expenditure and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to promote biotechnology in pharmaceutical development. [29853]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department is committed to encouraging a fertile climate in which biotechnology can flourish, and medical treatment can continue to advance. To this end, we support a range of programmes including the Crusade for Biotechnology, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Working Party on Biotechnology, and the MedLINK programme.
These measures will help to promote biotechnology and human healthcare, not only in pharmaceutical development but as a technology in its own right.