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Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

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Abbreviation
  
APBI

Legal status
  
Industry trade group

Formation
  
1891

Region served
  
UK

Purpose
  
Pharmaceutical industry trade organisation

Location
  
ABPI Head Office, 7th floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is the trade association for over 120 companies in the UK producing prescription medicines for humans. This is the British equivalent of America's PhRMA, however the member companies research, develop, manufacture and supply 80% of branded medicines prescribed through the National Health Service.

Contents

History

The organisation was founded in London in 1891. It was originally known as the Drug Club. A rival institution to represent wholesalers, the Northern Wholesale Druggists' Association, was formed in 1902; it lasted until 1966.

Management and offices

A board of management of members oversee the ABPI. The Board is made up of individuals who are elected by members to represent the industry; and up to five people who are co-opted by the Board. Elections commence every January for elected seats to ensure that the Board is fully representative and has access to the broadest range of skills and expertise possible.

As of 2016, the Association's RM&I Director was Dr. Virginia Acha.

John Kearney became President of the ABPI on 24 April 2015.

ABPI's head office is in London and there are three regional offices in Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh.

Membership

Members of the ABPI fall into three categories:

  • Full members who hold marketing authorisation for, manufacture or supply prescription medicine for human use and undertake business in the UK
  • Research affiliate members who carry out business in the UK and are involved in research and/or development of medicines for human use but do not have a UK sales operation, for example Contract Research Organisations (CROs) or Contract Development Organisations
  • General affiliate members who operate in the UK, have an interest in the industry and will typically provide products or services to the industry (although not producing prescription medicines), for example law firms

    • ABPI membership is not open to individuals, only companies.

    Functions

    The ABPI represents the views of the pharmaceutical industry to government and decision makers in the UK.

    The organisation has six departments:

  • Commercial
  • Communications
  • Legal
  • Membership Services
  • NHS Partnerships
  • Research, Medical and Innovation

    • The medical and innovation department oversees complimentary resources for schools in UK to promote links between school science subjects and their applications in industrial research. The department also runs a careers website. The association also sponsors booklets on a range of conditions, aimed at patients, carers and healthcare professionals.

    In addition, the association has lobbied for the UK government to adopt the European Union directive on biotechnology research.

    Code of Practice

    The Code of Practice of the ABPI covers the promotion of medicines for prescribing to health professionals and administrative staff as well as the provision of information to the public about prescription only medicines in the UK and is administered by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA). All ABPI member companies are obliged to comply with both the spirit and letter of the Code.

    The Code, first published in 1958, undergoes revisions at least every two years.

    References

    Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA