UK Drug Industry R&D Spending Drops for First Time

Investment in pharmaceuticals research in Britain has dipped for the first time as the country faces growing competition from the United States, China, India, Singapore and eastern Europe, the industry said on Tuesday. Research and development spending in 2003 -- the latest year for which figures are available -- was 3.2 billion pounds ($6 billion), down from 3.3 billion in 2002, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said in its annual review.

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