Eilidh Mactier: Life Sciences could be economic lifeline post-Brexit

With so much gloom hanging over the uncertainty of the post-Brexit economic future, it’s easy to lose sight of the many success stories unfolding here. One prime example is Scotland’s thriving life sciences sector where expanding technology and research businesses are proving to be a hot spot for indigenous and international investment.

Scotland is an ideal location for a strong global life sciences industry, ranking as a top three nation for research productivity and impact. The 19 Scottish universities and higher education institutions attract some of the best international talent within the science community. This includes the largest concentration of animal health and aquaculture researchers in Europe.

These factors are also having a significant economic impact on Scotland. Figures released by the Fraser of Allander Institute at the end of 2017 revealed the pharmaceutical sector is now worth £2.7 billion a year. It directly employs around 5,000 people in Scotland and indirectly supports around 16,500 jobs elsewhere within our economy.

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