GSK is committed to transforming healthcare by focusing on prevention. In collaboration with the NHS and Government, GSK aims to shift the focus from sickness to prevention, aligning with the Government’s 10-year plan. Through science, innovation, and strategic partnerships, GSK is developing medicines and vaccines, advancing research, and investing in early detection and education to help get ahead of illness.
Health Challenges Facing the UK
The UK faces a growing burden of preventable illnesses, threatening both lives and NHS sustainability. Conditions like respiratory diseases, cancer, and antimicrobial-resistant infections are increasing pressure on services, costing billions annually and reducing quality of life for millions.[i],[ii],[iii] Without earlier intervention and stronger prevention, this burden will only rise.
Respiratory diseases are the third leading cause of death in England,[iv] costing the NHS around £4.9 billion annually; £3 billion from asthma and £1.9 billion from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).[v] Infectious diseases, many being vaccine-preventable, accounted for 20%+ of NHS hospital bed use in 2023–24, costing £5.9 billion.[vi] Immunisation offers dramatic returns, saving £34 for every £1 spent.[vii]
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) adds to these challenges, costing the NHS £180 million annually and projected to surpass cancer as the leading cause of death by 2050.[viii],[ix] Beyond healthcare, AMR threatens economic stability through lost productivity and rising treatment costs.
In 2021, cancer was one of the UK’s leading cause of death, responsible for one in four deaths.[x] Preventable cancer cases diagnosed in 2023 cost the economy £133 billion – over 5% of GDP.[xi] Early diagnosis improves survival outcomes and reduces NHS costs; for example, treating early-stage ovarian cancer averages £5,300 per patient compared with over £15,000 for late-stage cases.[xii]
GSK’s Strategic Response: Science with Purpose
For over five decades GSK has led innovation in respiratory health, developing medicines and preventative therapies for conditions such as severe asthma and COPD.[xiii]
Its broad vaccine portfolio targets a wider range of diseases[xiv] using advanced technologies like MAPS, mRNA, and adjuvants to create tailored solutions that accelerate protection and reduce strain on healthcare systems.[xv]
Early diagnosis improves survival outcomes and reduces NHS costs
As a founding member of The Fleming Initiative, GSK has pledged £45 million to combat AMR globally through innovation and collaboration.[xvi] Since 1992, GSK has conducted antibiotic surveillance, now under the SOAR Program in over 30 countries, to track resistance trends, share data and dive new vaccine and prevention research.[xvii]
In oncology, GSK is advancing research in early detection and prevention to reduce cancer’s impact, improve patient outcomes, and lower healthcare costs. A £50 million collaboration with Oxford University focuses on immuno-prevention, combining expertise in immune science, vaccines, and cancer biology.[xviii] This partnership aims to uncover how cancers develop and guide vaccine innovation, supporting the government’s goal of delivering 10,000 cancer vaccine doses over the next five years.[xix]
A partnership with King’s College London, established in 2021, applies AI to accelerate precision medicine. Today over 70% of GSK’s early pipeline programs are genetically validated and research productivity is projected to grow by 20% via AI-ML analysis of public genetic data.[xx]
Looking Ahead
At GSK, we believe better health fuels a stronger economy, and the two must advance together for the UK to thrive. By tackling urgent challenges like COPD, severe asthma, infectious diseases and cancer through sustained research and collaboration, GSK is developing the next generation of medicines and helping build a healthier, more resilient society.
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[i] https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/92144/html/?utm_
[ii] https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/research-health-professionals/research-influencing/true-cost-lung-conditions?utm_
[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/22/cost-of-breast-cancer-uk-economy-study?utm_
[iv] NHS England. Available online at https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/respiratory-disease/. Accessed October 2025.
[v] https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Respiratory%20Disease%20Report.pdf
[vi] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-publishes-first-annual-report-summarising-latest-infectious-disease-trends?utm_
[vii] https://reform.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-power-of-prevention-3.pdf
[viii] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-the-prime-minister-on-antimicrobial-resistance/cst-advice-on-antimicrobial-resistance#:~:text=%5Bfootnote%202%5D,burden%20on%20our%20public%20services
[ix] Salam MA, Al-Amin MY, Salam MT, Pawar JS, Akhter N, Rabaan AA, Alqumber MAA. Antimicrobial Resistance: A Growing Serious Threat for Global Public Health. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jul 5;11(13):1946.
[x] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/mortality/all-cancers-combined
[xi] https://www.frontier-economics.com/uk/en/news-and-insights/news/news-article-i20141-cost-of-preventable-cancers-in-the-uk-to-rise/?utm_
[xii] Half of cancers diagnosed at late stage as report shows early diagnosis saves lives and could save the NHS money – Cancer Research UK – Cancer News
[xiii] GSK. https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/innovation/therapeutic-areas/respiratory-immunology-and-inflammation/
[xiv] GSK. https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/products/our-product-areas/#Vaccines
[xv] https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/behind-the-science-magazine/maps-technology-new-age-vaccine-development-infectious-diseases/
[xvi] https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/253335/gsk-backs-imperials-fleming-initiative-with/
[xvii] https://www.amrindustryalliance.org/case-study/gsks-survey-of-antibiotic-resistance-soar/
[xviii] https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-and-oxford-establish-the-gsk-oxford-cancer-immuno-prevention-programme-to-advance-novel-cancer-research/
[xix] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6888a0b1a11f859994409147/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england.pdf
[xx] https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/behind-the-science-magazine/ai-and-ml-power-better-predictions-for-patient-impact/
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