The Pharmaceutical Industry

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:18 pm on 8 October 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:18, 8 October 2019

I agree entirely with the way that Bethan Sayed put the conundrum at the end of her question. Llywydd, can I express my frustration at the actions of Vertex here in Wales? This company said, in June this year, that it would put forward evidence and a proposal to the all-Wales medicines strategy group, and it has failed to do so. We cannot act to make the drugs available in Wales if the companies that supply them aren't prepared to put their products through the process that we have for their recognition. They said that they would do it in June. I wish that they would get on with it. We want patients in Wales to be able to benefit from medicines where those things have been properly considered. Patient access schemes are often part of the package that we agree with a company. The company was prepared to do it in Scotland, it's indicated that it was prepared to do it in Wales, yet it's failed to take the steps that it promised. I wish they would get on and do it.