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In a speech on the 21st May, the Prime Minister will highlight plans to transform outcomes for people with chronic diseases.
Prof Jackie Hunter FMedSci, Chief Executive of BenevolentBio, said:
“AI has the potential to revolutionise all aspects of healthcare – not only in delivery and
early diagnosis of disease but also in the ability to find new medicines and ensure they are delivered to the right patients. It is also important that the UK maximises its human capital and ensures that all students have the ability to study data science and its applications in a range of areas including healthcare.”
Prof Fiona Watt FMedSci, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:
“We at the Medical Research Council are delighted with the contents of the Prime Minister’s speech. By working together, researchers across all disciplines have a unique opportunity to improve the nation’s health.”
Prof Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says:
“I am delighted that the Prime Minister is giving her personal backing to UK science and engineering and particularly to emerging technologies as part of the Industrial Strategy. It is vital that we create a culture of confidence amongst Britain’s world-leading researchers and engineers and provide sustained, long term support for innovation-led companies that boost the economy and provide well paid and rewarding jobs.
“Engineering has already driven many valuable advances in healthcare, from surgical robots and MRI scanners to polymers that control the delivery of drugs, and demonstrates how innovation can transform excellent research into products and services that improve people’s lives. Emerging technologies like genomics and artificial intelligence present an unparalleled opportunity to build on that progress.
“Any investment in new technologies must also be matched with the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks and urgent action to address the UK’s engineering skills and diversity shortfall. We stand ready to work with government and industry to address these challenges, drawing on the expertise of our Fellowship.”
Prof Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said:
“The Prime Minister is absolutely right to place science and research at the heart of the governments Industrial Strategy. The excellence of the UK’s research is well known and continues to provide the solutions to help us address the challenges our society faces today and in the future.
“Today’s commitment to use data and AI to diagnose cancers more quickly will be transformative for the outcomes of thousands of patients across the UK. Achieving this ambitious target will require us to realise the potential of two of the UK’s great assets, our excellence in research and data sciences, as well the wealth of information contained in the health records of the NHS. Combining these strengths will deliver benefits to patients, save the NHS money and ensure that the UK remains one of the most attractive places to invest in the life sciences.
“Setting a target of increasing investment in research to 2.4% of GDP is an important step in addressing the reality that in recent years we have consistently invested less in research than other research superpowers around the globe. In the longer term to remain competitive we believe it will be essential to move towards a combined research and development spend of 3% GDP.
“It is also important to remember that high quality science doesn’t only depend on financial investment. We need to continue to attract and retain the greatest scientific minds to the UK and nurture home grown talent. Science is increasingly a global venture, and to remain competitive we will have to look beyond our shores to invigorate global collaboration and partnerships.”
Dr Sarah Main, Executive Director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), said:
“I know that when I’m faced with diseases such as these in my life, I’ll be glad that the best scientific and technological advances have been applied to them. Bringing AI to health is an example of where the UK can excel: combining world-leading science, the power of the NHS, an ability bring disciplines together, and experience of working with the public on using new technologies in health. Science needs to play its part in the wider effort on this challenge. Government can help by pulling together across departments to ensure the UK can attract the people it needs, the inward investment and the regulatory frameworks for the effort to succeed.”
Prof Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci, Head of Engineering at Oxford, said:
“I very much welcome the Prime Minister’s speech announcing the Government’s ambitious plans to transform outcomes for people with chronic diseases. For the past decade, the University of Oxford and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been working in partnership to apply the power of Artificial Intelligence, especially machine learning, to healthcare data in order to improve patient outcomes. This world-leading partnership between engineers, computer scientists and clinical researchers has been funded by NIHR in the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, the Department of Health and the Wellcome Trust and has led to the creation of the Big Data Institute on the medical campus in Oxford.
We have designed AI-powered digital tools for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or COPD to improve their self-management and self-care. We have assembled highly-curated databases of patient-generated data, which we can now link to in-hospital data. By applying the latest machine learning techniques developed in the University to these NHS datasets, we can begin to deliver on the ambition of helping people enjoy an additional five years of healthy, independent life. We already have promising results from our machine learning techniques showing how the risk of a major, debilitating stroke can be reduced by better targeting of medicines for those individuals at risk. In the past year, the University and the NHS Trust have signed a Strategic Research Agreement with Drayson Health to enable our digital tools and data analytics powered by machine learning to be scaled up beyond Oxford, and made available to the whole of the NHS.”
Ms Nicola Perrin, Head of Understanding Patient Data, said:
“Artificial intelligence offers huge potential to transform healthcare, but only if new technologies are introduced in a way that people can trust. In the week that data protection legislation is strengthened, and patients are offered a new choice about how NHS data is used, it is more important than ever to have better conversations with the public, to explain how data is kept safe and to help build confidence. The Government’s commitment to ensure data is used responsibly will allow patients to benefit and save lives.”
Dr Mark Downs, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Biology, said:
“AI has the potential to help revolutionise healthcare diagnostics but, its scope for driving innovation in the life sciences goes well beyond healthcare with potential impact in areas as diverse as agriculture, ecology and conservation. To deliver on its potential there needs to be a strong and coherent partnership between Government, academia, business, charities and the wider public sector. The Industrial Strategy offers a framework for progress but will achieve the most if learning, knowledge and best practice are shared across sectors, especially within the diverse sector of life science. “
“A large part of the financing required to achieve the Government’s ambition of a total UK investment in R&D of 2.4% of GDP by 2027, including in AI, will need to come from the private sector. To achieve that it is essential that the UK continues to provide the best possible environment for science to flourish, attracting and retaining the best talent, alongside access to appropriate infrastructure, research communities and networks within an effective regulatory environment.”
Sir Jim Smith, Director of Science at Wellcome, said:
“This is exactly the right time to harness our increasing understanding of the fundamental bases of health and disease to guide evidence-based prevention, facilitate earlier diagnosis and allow more effective treatments. The prospects of UK Biobank and Health Data Research UK are already remarkable, but their impact will be even greater if we can encourage more of us to share our health information and marshal the experts in artificial intelligence and new portable and wearable technologies to exploit the data even more effectively. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring all of science together to improve health. To realise this vision we must make sure that the data is used responsibly and that support for science is long term, as the Government’s commitment to invest 2.4% of GDP in research and development recognises. Wellcome is delighted by this new initiative from government and is committed to continuing to work with all partners to improve the health of all of us.”
Sir John Chisholm, Executive Chairman of Genomics England, said:
“The Prime Minister’s commitment to the Life Sciences Strategy and the opportunities it opens for the UK is very welcome. Combining the unique strengths we have in the NHS linked to our world class science gives us the chance to be global leaders in 4th generation technologies linked to wellness and health.
“Data science and the huge advances in computing and clinical technology are already transforming the lives of patients in the UK and across the globe. The scope and scale of the 100,000 Genomes Project, unparalleled anywhere else in the world, has been made possible through the UK’s unique asset − its National Health Service. The NHS, as the single biggest integrated healthcare system in the world, is able to link lifelong healthcare information with whole genome sequencing data. It is a combination that brings benefit to patients whilst also demonstrating the UK’s competitive advantage in enhancing understanding of diseases, and developing products for earlier detection and treatment.”
Prof Neil Gow FRS, President of the Microbiology Society, said:
“It’s very positive that the Prime Minister is keen to capitalise on the UK’s great scientific strengths in this way. Patients may of course survive cancer treatments only to have all the advanced treatments they have received undone by aggressive infections caused by bacteria and fungi that take a hold when their immunity is weakened. Indeed we also know that some viruses and bacteria can actively promote or induce cancer. Therefore, microbiologists will have to continue work side- by-side with oncologists and haematologists to develop treatments and diagnostics that will ensure that patients are not only treated for malignancy, but also protected from potentially fatal infections that are associated with cancer treatments. And research is ongoing as to the extent to which microbes are agents of cancer, which is another reason to ensure that scientists work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle big challenges.”
Aisling Burnand, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said:
“Technology, data and digital innovation has already changed the lives of UK citizens, and we are seeing the same disruption in healthcare. AMRC believes innovation in digital health has huge potential to improve the lives of patients and people living with chronic conditions. The focus on early detection and diagnosis will save lives.
“Health and medical research charities are investing in digital technology in all its forms. What has become clear is that charities, NHS, funders and innovators must work effectively in partnership with the patient at the centre to ensure digital health delivers the best possible outcomes by driving:
– More digital health interventions designed with the end user.
– Increased uptake of effective digital innovation, including routine care.
– Shared, pragmatic solutions to the societal, ethical and legal questions arising from technology – ensuring patients and people living with long term conditions are central to the debate and dialogue.
“The Government’s mission to revolutionising healthcare using AI is welcome.”
Prof Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College, and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, said:
“These are fine aspirations. But they will remain empty words unless the country has, by the 2020s, a very different government with a commitment to the public sector and a realistic programme for achieving such ambitious goals.”
Prof Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, said:
“Science and technology are key to not only improving our lives but also to driving economic growth. The vision the Prime Minister is setting out will build on the strengths of the UK’s world leading research in AI and digital technology.
“Artificial Intelligence when combined with data from the NHS and other health devices offers great potential for improving lives. It can also benefit other areas such as education. At the same time, the strong and rational regulatory environment of the UK can help ensure that there are appropriate safeguards and also ensure that everyone can benefit.”
Sir Richard Sykes, Chairman of the Royal Institution, said:
“It’s fantastic to see such a positive commitment to improving people’s lives through investment in science. And to ensure the public remains trusting of this latest scientific innovation they must be involved in debating the use of AI and big data throughout the whole process – from inception of new ideas to delivery – rather than being passive recipients at the end. This approach of involving the public in discussion about the application of science in their lives is at the heart of the Royal Institution’s work.”
Prof Steve Hill, President of the British Pharmacological Society, said:
“In her announcement, the Prime Minister has articulated a vision in which the harnessing of new technologies and the targeting of investment may have a genuine impact on the early identification and treatment of chronic disease. This, together with the ambition to increase R&D spending to 2.4% of GDP, are hugely welcome.
“Backing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a key tool to enable early diagnosis of chronic disease is smart and timely. The use of similar technologies in a broader context must also be a part of the plan. AI can contribute to the repurposing of existing therapies to tackle new diseases, and it could be valuable in tackling the risks faced by our growing elderly population, who are increasingly prescribed multiple medications.
“The government, alongside funding agencies such as UKRI, should now get behind a sustained programme of investment in education and training to build the skills we will need to deliver the Prime Minister’s vision. It also remains critical that the brightest and best scientists and clinicians see the UK as an attractive destination, and are able to live and work here without significant barriers to entry. That is far from assured at this present point in time.
“Nevertheless, there is a welcome consistency in the government’s recent announcements on the role of the life science community in improving patient outcomes and contributing to a vibrant economy. Pharmacologists and Clinical Pharmacologists, who work in medicines discovery in the lab and delivery in the clinic, are well placed to support the government’s grand challenge programme. We look forward to playing our part in the coming years.”
Hetan Shah, Executive Director of the Royal Statistical Society, said:
“We now have leadership from the top in a Prime Minister who recognises the real value that can come from investing in the data revolution taking place around us. If we use it well, data can save lives. But the Cambridge Analytica scandal also reminds us that our data requires good oversight. We welcome that this Government is setting up a Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation which will help ensure data is properly used to serve the needs of society.”
Declared interests
Dr Sarah Main: “Interests – director CaSE, Trustee BSA, Fellow RSB”
Hetan Shah: “I have no relevant conflicting interests.”
None others received.