Medicines UK
API Council
Medicines UK has a specialist interest group around the manufacture and supply of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). These chemicals are critical in medicines in delivering the intended therapeutic effect. The group's focus is to increase understanding and awareness among key audiences of the issues and challenges facing this important part of the medicines supply chain.
Where do APIs come from?
The nature of the off-patent medicines supply chain and its compeitive market mean supply chains have becoming increasingly stretched. Around a quarter of finished form medicines are manufactured in the UK but the supply chains which support them including APIs come from across Europe, India and China.
Some manufacturing of API does take place in the UK but typically India and China are key areas for supply. The international nature of supply chains does present a question over resilience and whether the UK can rely on always being able to get the materials and ingredients it needs for medicines manufacture.
Medicines UK started the API Council to bring greater focus and understanding to our key audiences on the critical issues facing these manufacturers and suppliers. Any organisation interested in finding out more about the group should email jeremy.durrant@medicinesuk.com