Britain is failing to produce enough good science graduates to work in its pharmaceuticals industry, which is the biggest in Europe, drug manufacturers said on Tuesday. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) said the quality of graduates was deteriorating from all but the leading universities and a lack of funding for science teaching meant the situation was likely to get worse.
"The sad truth is that the UK pharmaceutical industry is rapidly becoming dependent on scientists who have trained abroad," Philip Wright, the ABPI's science director, told a parliamentary committee on science and technology.
"Given that the strength of the science base in this country has been one of the major reasons why so many pharmaceutical companies have decided to locate their businesses here, this is a matter for grave concern."
As the home to leading companies such as GlaxoSmithKline Plc and AstraZeneca Plc, Britain has a high profile in global pharmaceutical research.
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