The latest figures on the growth of Scottish life sciences reveal the sector has defied predictions – surpassing its own targets with “remarkable” expansion suggesting it is becoming one of the nation’s fastest growing sectors.

Released today, the Scottish government’s annual data on the nation’s life sciences cluster up to 2021 shows that the sector has exceeded the turnover target, set five years earlier than forecast.

Together with the government, industry leaders in the Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland 2025 Vision had set a bold ambition to grow turnover in the sector to £8bn by 2025.

Now, the latest government report reveals that aim was passed in 2020.

The news comes on the day Scotland’s life sciences community celebrates the achievements of those individuals and organisations working across the sector at the Life Sciences Annual Awards & Dinner.

Analysis of the wider life sciences sector – from innovation, research and development in human health to manufacturing, to animal, agriculture and aquaculture technologies, and the services that support them – sees the total turnover surpassing £10bn in 2021.

Beyond turnover, benefits are seen in employment more broadly supporting Scotland’s economy.

In 2021, 33,400 people were employed at 972 sites covered by the survey, with an average wage of £40,600, who between them injected over £4.6bn of extra value into Scotland’s economy.

Responding to the new cluster data, the Scottish government’s Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead said:

“With Scotland’s world-renowned expertise in innovation, academia and research, our life sciences sector is a strategic economic priority and it’s why, in 2017, industry and government set out a new strategy with a bold aim to increase the value of the sector in Scotland to £8bn by 2025.

“To surpass this figure by more than £2 billion demonstrates the phenomenal progress being made, and is testament to the hundreds of companies and thousands of employees who drive one of Europe’s leading life sciences clusters.

“These figures reflect the vital work undertaken across the sector during the COVID pandemic. This not only saved lives but demonstrated Scotland’s capability to lead in the life sciences arena. It is a performance that has positioned us as a global hub for life science innovation and expertise with enormous potential for future growth.”

A national success story

This comes a year after a University of Strathclyde report revealed the increasingly ‘significant’ contribution of the pharmaceutical sector as part of Scotland’s life sciences landscape, highlighting the need for more clinical trials support.

Co-chair of the government and Industry Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group, Mark Cook, said the latest data is very encouraging:

“The pace of expansion of the life sciences sector in Scotland is remarkable.

“The numbers show a 190% increase in turnover since 2010. It is clear that some companies have been growing at over 20% - maybe 30% - each year.

“Although the data only goes up to 2021, there is every indication that the growth in the activity and success of innovators in research, development and manufacturing of solutions to human medical challenges, and those in agriculture and aquaculture, has continued apace since then.

“We can now look afresh at our strategy in the light of this data, which show that our sector is a national success story that has far outstripped what was originally envisaged for it.”

Read more: NHS receives extra cash from medicines scheme;  Pharma sector boosting Scotland's economy; Joint pharmacy project cuts adverse events; Realistic medicine to help the climate; Making cervical cancer a ‘rare disease' 

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