Revolutionary new medical treatments: International effort to steer around obstacles

Major developments in biotech, genomics and stem cell research now offer exciting and far-reaching new opportunities for health care in conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease to genetic disorders. However the very pharmaceutical companies who could otherwise be expected to bring the relevant treatments to the market place are facing disturbingly turbulent conditions in their relations with policy makers, regulators and members of the public.

Existing successful drugs are nearing the end of their patent life so the very substantial funds needed to discover and develop new blockbuster drugs are at risk. Added to this the industry now faces searching questions about how to bring radically new types of product such as drugs designed on the basis of ongoing genetic investigations, or stem-cell research to the market place.

What regulations will they face? How far will the stakeholders and indeed the public accept the new drugs and who will work out safe medical procedures?

The Economic and Social Research Council’s Centre for Social and Economic Research on Innovation in Genomics is holding an international conference on the Evolution of the Life Science Industries at the Edinburgh Conference Centre from 23 to 25 February. State of the art research, development and problems will be discussed and speakers with international reputations will begin to shape future pathways of innovation in the life sciences.