The chairman of Covid vaccines giant AstraZeneca has said investing in technology can help the NHS cut costs.
Leif Johansson said more spending on areas like artificial intelligence and screening could prevent disease and keep people from going to the hospital.
The NHS is under intense pressure as A&E wait times hit record levels and strikes exacerbate ambulance delays.
Mr Johansson said about 97% of health care costs arise “when people are present in the hospital”.
He said only the remaining 3% consists of spending on vaccinations, early detection or screening.
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Mr Johansson told the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos: “If we can get into an investment mode in health for screening or prevention or early diagnosis of health and we can see that as an investment to reduce the cost of illness, then I think we’ve done a lot.” better model over time that would serve us well.”
Speaking on the UK, he said: “All countries have different systems and the NHS is one that we’ve learned to live with and I think Brits in general are very grateful for that.”
He said he wasn’t talking about “collapsing any healthcare systems”. Rather, he said, “we should embrace technology and science.”
Mr Johansson said artificial intelligence, or AI, could be used to diagnose lung cancer through X-rays by “just running it through software”. Or the technology could be used to screen for diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
“All of that can be done within the institution of the NHS and would still have a very positive impact,” he said.
The NHS faces further industrial action on Monday as ambulance workers in some parts of England and Wales who are members of the Unite union go on strike in a dispute over pay.
More strikes by emergency workers and nurses are planned later this month and into February.
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, Mr Johansson had expressed concern about whether AstraZeneca would continue to invest in the country.
But he now says the UK has an opportunity to innovate outside of European regulations in technology for the healthcare sector.
“Britain already has a very, very good life science sector, academically but also industrially with some very big players including us.
“Anything we can do in the UK would benefit the country on a broader scale than just using it in the UK.”
Mr. Johansson will step down as Non-Executive Chairman of AstraZeneca in April.
He will be replaced by Michel Demaré, who is currently non-executive director of the pharmaceutical company and has held similar roles at Vodafone, among others.
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