NHS Confederation has announced the launch of a new network for GP Federations as it seeks to unite federation managers across the UK and support members with tailored products such as bulletins, briefings and events. This will allow chairs, chief operating officers, and other senior federation managers to interconnect, co-operate on issues and share resources. Ensuring the ongoing support of primary care during the pandemic, while it copes with the NHS backlog from lockdown pauses, will be an e...

The United Kingdom has shared some objectives for the COP26 event in November with Central American countries in a regional event. The British Ambassador in Guatemala, Nick Whittingham, led discussion from the UK side at the virtual opening of the French – Central American talks on climate change, organized by the Government of France, the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the countries of the System of Central American Integration (SICA). The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Chan...

IPSWICH, MA (May 10th, 2021) — New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB®), a leading supplier of life science reagents, today announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Fluorogenics Limited (FGL), a lyophilization R&D service company based in the UK. Under the terms of the agreement, FGL will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEB. With the point-of-care market becoming more focused on the development of robust, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic tests for use outsi...

BIVDA Chief Executive Doris-Ann Williams and Chief Operating Officer Helen Dent have commented on the publication of the Health and Care Bill in today’s Queen’s Speech.  Commenting on plans to promote integrated care in the health service, Doris-Ann said; “The new White Paper offers an opportunity to promote joint working and collaboration in the NHS across different teams, department and disciplines. As part of these reforms, we want to see greater use of IVDs in pri...

The United Kingdom has downgraded its COVID-19 alert level from 4 to 3 as the NHS vaccination programme and social distancing measures take effect in bringing down transmission rates. The change in the level means the epidemic is in general circulation but transmission of the virus is no longer deemed to be high or rising exponentially. This decision was made by all four UK nations’ Chief Medical Officers, along with the NHS England Medical Director Stephen Powis. A statement from Chief Me...

BIVDA commentary on proposed validation of COVID Antigen tests for sale in the private sector7th May 2021 After careful consideration, BIVDA believes that setting up a separate validation process sets both an unwarranted precedent for the industry and undermines the regulatory system. Our position is that changes to the existing regulatory regime could achieve what the validation policy is trying to do, more effectively and without creating a two-layer system – a view in which we are ...

United States agrees to vaccine patent waiverThe United States has agreed to back a waiver by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on vaccine patents to boost supply as virus cases soar worldwide. The waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa, who were joined by over 60 countries in agreement. Over the last six months, this cohort of countries have been petitioning for the waiver to be accepted which would allow for greater supplies of vaccine stocks for nations struggling to cope with i...

Life sciences companies unlock £11 billion in corporate investment A new report regarding British life sciences corporate investment has found that companies were involved with £11 billion of corporate investment over the first quarter of 2021. The new figures reveal the UK was fourth highest globally with life science companies completing £20 billion of corporate investment.  The report is titled ‘Life Sciences Innovation: Building the Fourth Industrial Revolution&r...

Researchers in Switzerland have developed a COVID-19 antibody test that can analyse hundreds of samples at the same time, using minute quantities of reagents and single drops of blood. The platform, which can analyse up to 1024 samples at once, consists of a complex network of tiny tubes carved into a plastic chip that is about the size of a USB stick. Antibody tests are also a powerful tool to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in clinical trials, when scientists look at the rise in antibodies ...

Chief Executive of NHS England Sir Simon Stevens is to step down from his role in July, he has confirmed in a message to staff this afternoon. Sir Steven has held the important role for seven years, first starting on 1st April 2014, and has overseen the NHS’s management through various challenges. These included Government austerity measures which affected the service’s spending, and the current hurdles faced by COVID-19 and the treatment backlog. Key milestones in Sir Simon’s ...