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David Cameron eyes NHS-life sciences partnership Everyone 'to be research patient' , says David Cameron
(40 minutes later)
  
The NHS should be "opened up" to private healthcare firms under plans which include sharing anonymous patient data, says David Cameron. Every NHS patient should be a "research patient" with their medical details "opened up" to private healthcare firms, says David Cameron.
He says the "end-game" for the health service must be driving innovation and growth by working "hand-in-glove" with industry. The PM says it will mean all those who use the NHS in England will be helping in the fight against disease.
The PM wants to give patients faster access to new treatments and make the life sciences sector a world leader. He hopes the result will be that patients get faster access to new treatments and Britain's life sciences sector will become a world leader.
But critics say commercial interests are being put ahead of patient privacy.But critics say commercial interests are being put ahead of patient privacy.
Ministers believe Britain can become a world leader in the field of life sciences - an industry already worth £50bn a year and employing 160,000 people - because of the expertise within the NHS and its strong university-based research. In a speech in London Mr Cameron said he would consult on changing the NHS constitution, which governs how the the health service is run, so that all patients' data is used for medical research unless they want to opt out.
In a speech in London on Monday, Mr Cameron said the coalition's key strategy was to open up the NHS in England to new ideas. "Anonymous data"
'Huge magnet' "It is simply a waste to have a health service like the NHS and not to do this kind of thing," he said.
"Let me be clear, this does not threaten privacy, it doesn't mean anyone can look at your health records, but it does mean using anonymous data to make new medical breakthroughs.
"The end result will be that every willing patient is a research patient and every time you use the NHS you are playing a part in the fight against disease at home and around the world."
The government believes that as a result Britain can become a world leader in the field of life sciences - an industry already worth £50bn a year and employing 160,000 people - because of the expertise within the NHS and its strong university-based research.
"The end-game is for the NHS to be working hand-in-glove with industry as the fastest adopter of new ideas in the world," he said."The end-game is for the NHS to be working hand-in-glove with industry as the fastest adopter of new ideas in the world," he said.
That would act as a "huge magnet to pull new innovations through, right along the food-chain - from the labs, to the boardrooms, to the hospital bed".That would act as a "huge magnet to pull new innovations through, right along the food-chain - from the labs, to the boardrooms, to the hospital bed".
Under the plans, which were unveiled as part of the Autumn Statement, NHS records would be made anonymous and then made available to private firms.Under the plans, which were unveiled as part of the Autumn Statement, NHS records would be made anonymous and then made available to private firms.
Closer collaboration could also give companies more freedom to run clinical trials inside hospitals.Closer collaboration could also give companies more freedom to run clinical trials inside hospitals.
Mr Cameron has announced a £180m fund to help commercialise medical breakthroughs, and plans to consult on an "early access scheme" to put new drugs in NHS hospitals more quickly.Mr Cameron has announced a £180m fund to help commercialise medical breakthroughs, and plans to consult on an "early access scheme" to put new drugs in NHS hospitals more quickly.
"We must ensure that the UK stays ahead," he said. "Because yes, we've got a leading science base; yes, we've got four of the world's top 10 universities; and yes, we have a National Health Service unlike any other."We must ensure that the UK stays ahead," he said. "Because yes, we've got a leading science base; yes, we've got four of the world's top 10 universities; and yes, we have a National Health Service unlike any other.
"But my argument today is that these strengths alone are not enough, that to keep pace with what's happening we've got to change radically - the way we innovate, the way we collaborate, the way we open up the NHS.""But my argument today is that these strengths alone are not enough, that to keep pace with what's happening we've got to change radically - the way we innovate, the way we collaborate, the way we open up the NHS."
'Valley of death''Valley of death'
Science minister David Willetts told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, at the moment, research funded by the Medical Research Council often sat in research institutes without being used to benefit patients.Science minister David Willetts told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, at the moment, research funded by the Medical Research Council often sat in research institutes without being used to benefit patients.
"They then face the so-called 'valley of death' when the research has been done but there isn't necessarily the proof of concept or the proof of market that would enable a venture capitalist to invest, and it's a long, shaky, perilous path to being commercialised and available in the NHS," he said."They then face the so-called 'valley of death' when the research has been done but there isn't necessarily the proof of concept or the proof of market that would enable a venture capitalist to invest, and it's a long, shaky, perilous path to being commercialised and available in the NHS," he said.
As information was made available, the confidentiality of patients had to be put first, he stressed. "First of all there has to be absolute protection for the confidentiality of the individual patient's data and it shouldn't be possible to trace it back to an individual," he said.As information was made available, the confidentiality of patients had to be put first, he stressed. "First of all there has to be absolute protection for the confidentiality of the individual patient's data and it shouldn't be possible to trace it back to an individual," he said.
However, Patient Concern said it had real concerns about the proposals because the information would include postcodes and age profiles which would be possible to trace back to the individuals concerned.However, Patient Concern said it had real concerns about the proposals because the information would include postcodes and age profiles which would be possible to trace back to the individuals concerned.
"The aim is laudable... but the methods, they stink frankly," Joyce Robins, the organisation's founder, said. "Our records should not be passed around by the Department of Health as they see fit or sold to private companies without our permission.""The aim is laudable... but the methods, they stink frankly," Joyce Robins, the organisation's founder, said. "Our records should not be passed around by the Department of Health as they see fit or sold to private companies without our permission."
Data should only be made available on the basis of patients' "informed consent", she added.Data should only be made available on the basis of patients' "informed consent", she added.
Nick Pickles, of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said: "It is for patients, not the government, to decide what happens with their medical information. It appears that commercial interests are being put ahead of patient privacy and that is unacceptable."Nick Pickles, of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said: "It is for patients, not the government, to decide what happens with their medical information. It appears that commercial interests are being put ahead of patient privacy and that is unacceptable."
Guy Herbert, from NO2ID, which campaigns against the "database state" said the plan sounded similar to Tony Blair government's "transformational government" ideas for data sharing.Guy Herbert, from NO2ID, which campaigns against the "database state" said the plan sounded similar to Tony Blair government's "transformational government" ideas for data sharing.
"We should control access to our personal information - the government should get to use it only when genuinely necessary," he said."We should control access to our personal information - the government should get to use it only when genuinely necessary," he said.
Labour have said they will not allow Mr Cameron to "throw away essential safeguards" in his desperation to develop a credible industrial strategy.Labour have said they will not allow Mr Cameron to "throw away essential safeguards" in his desperation to develop a credible industrial strategy.
But the pharmaceutical industry said "robust" safeguards were already in place and it was impossible to trace back anonymised data to individuals.But the pharmaceutical industry said "robust" safeguards were already in place and it was impossible to trace back anonymised data to individuals.
"We need people to understand that the benefits for all of us - our children and people who have got illnesses - are absolutely essential when it comes to using health records for research," Neil Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society."We need people to understand that the benefits for all of us - our children and people who have got illnesses - are absolutely essential when it comes to using health records for research," Neil Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
The NHS had a "unique resource" of medical records dating back to the 1940s, he added, and these had already been widely used in furthering understanding of conditions such as HIV and lung cancer.The NHS had a "unique resource" of medical records dating back to the 1940s, he added, and these had already been widely used in furthering understanding of conditions such as HIV and lung cancer.