The New Statesman

The UK is on cause for a huge rise in preventable illness.

The Health Foundation Charity predicts that by 2040 one in five adults will be living with a serious condition such as cancer, dementia or heart disease.

Meanwhile, economic activity is stagnating, with roughly 2.8 million people currently out of work due to ill health,

according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Our world-leading life Sciences sector has the capacity to help

reverse this trend. In 2021 alone, it contributed 43.3 billion pounds to the UK economy and supported 646,000 jobs.

With the right investment it could add an additional 68 billion pounds to GDP over the next 30 years, create 85,000 more jobs and result in a 40%

decrease in disease burden across the UK.

This episode, in partnership with professional services firm PWC,

explores how greater investment into vital disease areas

such as cancer, obesity and immunology

could make British society physically and financially healthier.

I'm joined by Chion Wura, the Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation,

Dr Dan Mahoney, chair of the UK Bio Industry Association

and the government's Life Sciences Investment Envoy.

And Stephen Ahern, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Leader at PWC UK.

Thanks to all of you for joining me. Toe, let's start with you.

What is the current standing of the UK Life Sciences sector

and what greater potential does it have?

Well, Emma, first of all, thanks to you

for having me on the on the podcast and that

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