The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says that the fee increases to be introduced on 1 April, along with 18 new fees, are necessary for its long-term financial sustainability and its ability to provide a “responsive, innovative and efficient regulatory service.”

The European Medicines Agency says that the current shortage of antibiotics containing amoxicillin is not a “major event” and that efforts by EU and national regulators are helping to mitigate the situation.

From next year, more agencies will be involved in the UK’s regulatory reliance procedure for new drug approvals, which was first introduced in 2021 to allay fears of post-Brexit delays to UK applications. The pharmaceutical industry said it looked forward to working with the regulator on the new framework.

The burden of having to produce separate product packs for Great Britain and Northern Ireland is among a number of concerns raised by industry executives at a recent hearing in the House of Lords.

The burden of having to produce separate product packs for Great Britain and Northern Ireland is among a number of concerns raised by industry executives at a recent hearing in the House of Lords.

At its next meeting, the Australian committee responsible for reviewing the country's health technology assessment system will discuss feedback from stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry, on the draft terms of reference for the review.