UK will only be able to afford generic drugs if NHS fails to pay more, says AstraZeneca boss
Pascal Soriot says cost-effectiveness thresholds for new medicines have not changed for two decadesBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of AstraZeneca has said that unless the UK ramps up spending on new drugs, it could be on a trajectory to only being able to afford cheap, generic medicines...
<p>Pascal Soriot says cost-effectiveness thresholds for new medicines have not changed for two decades</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2025/nov/06/bank-of-england-interest-rates-andrew-bailey-stock-markets-pound-budget-business-live-news">Business live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>The boss of AstraZeneca has said that unless the UK ramps up spending on new drugs, it could be on a trajectory to only being able to afford cheap, generic medicines rather than cutting-edge treatments.</p><p>Pascal Soriot made the remarks amid an acrimonious standoff between the pharmaceutical industry and the government over drug pricing, which has been blamed for drugmakers <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/16/big-pharma-firms-uk-investment-trump-msd-eli-lilly-astrazeneca">pausing or ditching nearly £2bn of investments in the UK this year</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/06/uk-will-only-be-able-to-afford-generic-drugs-if-nhs-fails-to-pay-more-says-astrazeneca-boss">Continue reading...</a>
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