Staff in regulatory affairs jobs at pharmaceutical companies could be set to play a role in the creation of a value-based pricing system for NHS drug purchasing.
The government has confirmed this week that it will be going ahead with the development of this system and will be working with a variety of healthcare sector stakeholders to do so.
Pharmaceutical firms, clinicians and patients are to confer with the NHS to create a new approach to pricing for branded medicines, aimed at delivering better value while improving access to innovative therapies.
This decision has been taken following a consultation process, with health secretary Andrew Lansley stating that the move will also help to encourage clinical research efforts.
"We are modernising the NHS so we can give patients better access to the medicines they need. To do this we need to change the way drugs are priced," he said.
Responding to this, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry expressed confidence that a "productive working framework" can be developed for the establishment of the new system.