If a hard Brexit route is taken , there would be a significant loss of scientific funding for the UK drug industry , said think tank Public Policy Projects . At least , scientists , drug manufacturers and taxpayers benefits from the results of shared clinical trials and drug approvals processes between the EU and the UK . A hard Brexit would lead to the loss of this benefit , potentially leading to years of delays before new drugs reach the UK market , a loss of $ 1 for the UK life sciences industry by 2020 . Life sciences currently contribute £ billion per year to the UK economy , employing around 220,000 people .
If a hard Brexit route is taken, there would be a significant loss of scientific funding for the UK drug industry, said think tank Public Policy Projects. At present, patients, drug manufacturers and taxpayers benefits from the results of shared clinical trials and drug approvals processes between the EU and the UK. A hard Brexit would lead to the loss of this benefit, potentially leading to years of delays before new drugs reach the UK market, a loss of $144bn for the UK life sciences industry by 2020. Life sciences currently contribute £60bn per year to the UK economy, employing around 220,000 people.