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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Sep 15

During the last election, I think the industry spent so much time distracted by the IRA and its potential impact on drug pricing that it missed the threats to the FDA and to scientific research and the potential imposition of tarrifs.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Sep 15

This is not good for the sector or for the health of patients.

While the issue in the UK is, yet another, government that really does not understand the connection between investment and uptake of medicines, I feel the issue in the US may be self-inflicted.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Sep 15

Over the last week there has been a lot written about the challenges faced by the life sciences sector in the UK. It appears there is a wider malaise as the @bostonglobe.com reports there are challenges in Boston too.

In ‘biotech winter,’ Boston startups, jobs, and science are being swept away - The Boston Globe

Local companies have shut down or scaled back in the industry’s decline, threatening scientific progress on cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other diseases.

www.bostonglobe.com

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Sep 10

This is not good at all.

If the UK government really wants to support the life sciences it needs to encourage investment here, not discourage it.

There have been at least seven government strategies for life sciences this century, it is time a government actually put one into action.

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · Sep 10

Merck scraps £1bn London drug research centre in blow to UK growth on.ft.com/3I1IBWR

Merck scraps £1bn London drug research centre in blow to UK growth

US company says Britain ‘is not internationally competitive’ as it lays off 125 staff

on.ft.com

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Sep 10

Biology is not easy, by @hannahkuchler.bsky.social and @melissahei.bsky.social

Why is AI struggling to discover new drugs?

A generation of start-ups have failed to live up to the hype. Executives are now betting that more powerful tools will crack the complexities of human biology

www.ft.com

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Aug 18

And none of those in between are duds.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 22

This is not a "UK problem". The global biopharma industry has been built on M&A.

If a company can be acquired for £46bn, as was the case with Shire, then any company can.

What is important is that investors in companies being acquired make a sufficient return to want to invest in biotech again.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 22

However, one area that I think will be impossible is to "build bigger, better British biotechs and keep them here, rather than them being sold to multinationals".

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 22

Kate Bingham's thoughts on the UK government's life sciences strategy are worth reading.

The uptake of innovative products is essential if the Office for Life Sciences really wants to be successful in surpassing its goals.

The UK needs to pick up the pace on life sciences

Focusing relentlessly on low drug costs is the wrong approach

www.ft.com

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 22

Congratulations to Steve Bates on his appointment as executive chair at the Office for Life Sciences.

New Executive Chair to strengthen government’s plan to unleash life sciences for a healthier, wealthier Britain

Steve Bates OBE appointed to help champion research and innovation and the use of technology to transform health and grow the UK economy.

www.gov.uk

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 18

Make that 40. First max score on Pointed.

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 17

It's always nice to see good news when you wake up. Congrats to the #moversandshakers team.

A debate is only the first step, genuine action needs to be taken to help people get access to neurologists to enable early diagnosis.

Rory Cellan-Jones @rorycj.bsky.social · Jul 17

open.substack.com/pub/rorycell... We did it! The #moversandshakers Parky petition hit the 100,000 target which triggers a parliamentary debate. But we’re not finished - the struggle continues!

We* did it! Parky Petition hits 100K

*That includes you if you signed or helped out..

open.substack.com

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 16

I'm not surprised that the trade associations are not particularly positive in their responses to this report.

There have been several similar ones since the turn of the century and successive govenments have always promised a lot and delivered only a fraction.

I hope it is different this time.

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 16

The overarching ambition of the Life Sciences Sector Plan is admirable.

However, I feel it is lacking detail.

Additionally, there is a need to couple developing an innovative industry with the uptake of innovative products in the NHS. That appears to be missing.

Life Sciences Sector Plan

The Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out a vision and an action plan to drive growth, innovation, and better health outcomes.

www.gov.uk

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 14

On the AI theme, @parmy.bsky.social's "Supremacy"

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jul 1

I would agree on the prose. However, I think the recent iterations of some of the GPT systems have significantly improved prose compared with the output a few months ago, which will make recruitment for roles that require writing more difficult.

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Jun 30

How do you separate the genuine writers from the AI-generated submissions? We found that significant numbers of our applicants last year used AI to generate work and in some cases CVs, and when candidates got to an assessment centre the quality of writing was much lower than seen in recent years

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · May 12

Need to be careful when comparing prices from one country to another. Industry talks about list prices (what they'd like to be paid) vs negotiated prices. I recall the US list price of some of the HCV drugs was 3x the negotiated price in EU, which in turn was higher than average price paid in US.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 11

This was my favourite science road graffiti. From the 2020 Il Lombardia.

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 9

That is a sweet version of what maybe my favourite song of theirs.

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 9

Hitting the nail on the head...

Rory Cellan-Jones @rorycj.bsky.social · Apr 9

open.substack.com/pub/rorycell... Purging a leading Parkinson’s researcher, spreading vaccine scares - how Trump and RFK have demolished the US reputation as the global health superpower in just a few weeks

Trump and Kennedy - bad for our health

Rory’s Always On Newsletter is a reader-supported publication.

open.substack.com

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 4

We also noticed that the standard of writing in our assessment centre exercises left a lot to be desired.

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 4

This thread reflects my experience with our early talent recruitment this year. Many candidates using the same AI-generated phrases in their applications, and we saw some reading AI-drafted responses in real time in online interviews. AI is making recruitment much more challenging.

Annique Claringbould @anniquec.bsky.social · Apr 4

I want to share some observations from a recent recruitment process for a PhD position that may be interesting for other future candidates 🧵

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Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Apr 1

Lisa is correct here.

Won't be holding my breath waiting for them to speak up though.

Lisa Jarvis @lisamjarvis.bsky.social · Apr 1

Noticeably silent amid the upheaval at HHS? Big pharma. Every new drug has NIH somewhere in its DNA--and NIH funding supports the training of their workforce. Now they're finding out FDA isn't safe, either. Wrote about how keeping quiet isn't working My latest @opinion.bloomberg.com (gift link):

Big Pharma Needs to Get Off the Sidelines

The industry can’t continue to sit idly by while Robert F. Kennedy Jr. guts the nation’s public health agencies.

www.bloomberg.com

Rob Winder @robwinder.bsky.social · Mar 14

"Bluesky - AlphaMotorHomes - DeCeuster - Corendon" 😉

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