Daniel Zeichner MP met with leading life sciences businesses to find out how the UK is taking a lead in the development of cutting-edge healthcare technologies to save and improve the lives of patients in the UK and around the world.

The Westminster reception, organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Life Sciences, focused on how the NHS has the potential to be a world leader in the research, development and adoption of healthcare innovation. 

The event featured displays and demonstrations of the very latest life-changing technologies. This included Medtronic’s MyCare Link Monitor, a remote monitoring device for patients with cardiac implants; Woundchek’s Protease Status, a tool to analyse the levels of protein to help clinicians target advanced wound care therapies more effectively; and the uMotif app, enabling patients with cancer, arthritis, chronic pain, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease to track symptoms relevant to their conditions and set up medication and task reminders.

The event comes shortly after Cambridge-based Owlstone Medical, a diagnostics company developing a breathalyzer for disease, announced its ReCIVA breath sampling and analysis technology has been named ‘Invention of the Year’ in the 2017 Top 50 in Digital Health Awards.

Daniel Zeichner MP, Vice-chair of the Life Sciences APPG, commented “In Cambridge we know the importance of investment in cutting-edge technology, but few are as aware of our city and country’s role in pioneering the next generation of healthcare technologies. Patients both at home and abroad can benefit from these innovations, many result in providing a better quality of life for the people using them and reduce costs to our NHS”.

George Freeman MP, Chair of the Prime Minister’s Policy Board told the reception “Our world-leading life science sector -; which generates over £60 billion and over 220,000 jobs for the UK economy each year, and provides products which the NHS and UK patients rely on every day -; is of critical importance to the country.”