UK Government Seeks Pharmaceutical Sector's Views on Regulation Enforcement

UK government review will look for unnecessary regulatory burdens and inconsistencies and at guidance clarity.

The UK Department for Business Innovation & Skills is conducting a review of how well national regulators and local authorities enforce rules governing the pharmaceutical sector, and the group is seeking input from pharmaceutical producers, the department announced in a press release. The Focus on Enforcement review will be open for comment on the website and via email until September 2, 2013. The reviewers will also speak with individual businesses, trade bodies, and regulators. A response from regulators will follow the evidence-gathering phase of the review.

Ministers want to hear about any unnecessary burdens that are being placed on businesses and any duplication or inconsistencies between regulatory bodies. The review also seeks to find out whether companies are receiving the clear guidance they need to comply with the law. Firms are also invited to identify areas of good enforcement practice which could be replicated elsewhere.

“The UK pharmaceutical industry is a vital player in an increasingly competitive international market.  We must maximize its potential to attract investment, innovate, and create jobs, while maintaining world-class quality and safety standards,” said business minister Michael Fallon in the press release. “I want firms to tell us how we can improve the environment in which they work.  We want to make sure regulation is proportionately and intelligently applied to facilitate their contribution to our economy.”