Key Facts

The American Pharmaceutical Group (APG) was set up in 1985 to improve understanding of the industry, and the healthcare contribution of the American companies in particular, among Government, Parliament and interested stakeholders.

The APG works closely with the industry's trade body, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, but with the US being the most competitive market for medicines in the world and accounting for over half of the developed world's R&D, the APG is able to add a special perspective.

The APG represents the leading US owned companies which together form the largest national grouping within the UK-based pharmaceutical industry. The member companies are significant investors and employers in the UK, as well as making a major contribution to the NHS.

The Member Companies

• Provide NHS patients with prescribed medicines worth £2.4bn a year.
• Export annually more than £1.7bn of prescribed medicines.
• Employ over 17,000 highly qualified staff, with almost 4000 working in manufacturing and over 4500 in R&D.
• Spend more than £1.5bn a year on R&D. This is almost half of the pharmaceutical industry total, itself accounting for 25% of all UK business R&D.

Further details about the individual member companies can be found in the section on members.