The Government’s flagship community diagnostic centre (CDC) project is already making huge progress in clearing part of the backlog by performing almost a million additional tests, which is the equivalent to 30,000 extra tests per week.73 CDCs have already opened across the UK and, due to funds made available by the newly-launched Health and Social Care Levy, up to 160 are to open by 2025. By May, four extra CDCs will have opened their doors to patients.While the Government believes that C...

Transaction expands BioIVT’s donor network and increases its capacity to provide fresh whole blood, plasma, serum, and red blood cells for drug and diagnostic development

BIVDA is pleased to contribute to the ‘Week of Action’ led by the Stick to Science alliance, from 4-8 April in support of the campaign to finalise the UK’s formal association to the €95.5 billion (£79.8 billion) Horizon Europe programme. This ongoing impasse is threatening to stifle vital scientific, medical and diagnostic research efforts that underpin novel approaches to medical care, scientific and technological innovation.  Research has never been more impor...

The British Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College for Physicians have published a report pushing for pharmacogenomic testing to better tailor patient prescriptions and save money caused by adverse drug reactions.They claim this testing will ensure patients receive the correct drug and dosage – as prescription drugs work for only 30-50% of the population – while avoiding potentially dangerous side-effects. Currently, 6.5% of UK hospital admissions are attributed to adverse drug...

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak delivered the Spring Statement to MPs and the public on Wednesday 23 March.As a background to the announcements, UK inflation has hit 6.2% and families face the worst real-terms income squeeze in 50 years. With the cost of living soaring in the UK, Mr Sunak announced a rise in the threshold of National Insurance, and pledged cuts to the basic rate of income tax and fuel duty.Forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility showed the economy would grow ...

For Immediate Release -- Helen Tucker (Thermo Fisher Scientific) has been elected as Chair of the BIVDA Board effective March 24th 2022 for a three-year term. Helen will look to build upon the excellent work of her predecessor, Darren Stenlake (Sysmex UK Ltd), in presenting BIVDA’s strategy and vision to all stakeholders going forward.  Doris-Ann Williams, Chief Executive of BIVDA said: “We are delighted to welcome Helen Tucker as our new Chair following BIVDA’s annua...

The Government has pledged to increase the UK’s R&D budget to £39.8 billion for 2022-25, the largest number in history. This funding has been allocated across the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and is intended to cement the UK’s place as a global science superpower.It is also hoped that this increased investment will spark even greater private investment, with research showing that every £1 of public expenditure in R&D eventually le...

Funding from the Government to the support provided to Horizon Europe launched in November 2021 will be extended, it was announced this week. This guarantee comes as efforts continue for the UK’s association to the large-scale research programme to be formalised. The funding will now be in place for awards expected to be signed by the end of December 2022.The UK and EU had agreed upon terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement last year that would ensure the UK’s association to the...

BIVDA Statement - BIVDA responds to the BEIS R&D partner organisation budget  For Immediate Release -  The Government’s commitment to increasing the R&D budget to £39.8 billion – the largest ever – is welcomed by BIVDA. As the UK’s most representative association for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) technology and innovation, we acknowledge that this investment will provide our industry with vital funds to be able to pioneer cutting-edge researc...

BIVDA enjoyed an excellent day in Parliament as dozens of university researchers exhibited posters encompassing their innovative research projects. BIVDA has long supported the annual competition with our CEO Doris-Ann Williams chairing the organising committee.Indeed, the organising team’s hard work paid off as esteemed politicians, such as Shadow Science, Research and Digital Minister Chi Onwurah MP and Chair of the APPG for Life Sciences Daniel Zeichner MP, turned up in great numbers to...