Merck’s research chief has called on the UK government to make the country more welcoming to pharma companies, ahead of the US-based drugmaker breaking ground on a £1bn research centre in London next week.
MSD’s investment comes as other drugmakers have warned they are being discouraged from doing so. AstraZeneca said in February it had chosen to open a $360mn factory in Ireland, rather than in the UK, because of a “discouraging tax rate”, while German drugmaker Bayer said last year that it had cut staff in the country. While the UK government is trying to make the country into a life sciences superpower, drugmakers have become frustrated that this plan does not include paying more for medicines.
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