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BAPW Membership | » Associate Membership

Benefits of BAPW Membership

Membership of the BAPW is available to companies (or divisions of companies) engaged principally in the wholesale distribution of pharmaceutical products.

The BAPW is a leading voice on public policy making in the pharmaceutical industry. We represent our members’ interests at the highest levels of Government and Parliament. Membership of the Association allows a company a key role in setting the policy position of the Association and its lobbying priorities. The Association has a team of public affairs representatives and runs an active contact programme with those shaping policy development in the pharmaceutical arena.

The Association also maintains a press office, which proactively seeks to inform commentators about wholesaling, and to respond to enquiries on behalf of the industry.

Membership of the BAPW also gives a company access to a leading forum of debate and discussion on the development of industry best practice. The BAPW comprises not just the full Members, but also Associate Members who have an interest in the pharmaceutical wholesaling industry. These include most of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers in the UK. Through the Association, Members can come together with representatives of these bodies to discuss developments in their area and build personal relationships with those across the industry they need work with. The BAPW aims to bring together pharmaceutical distributors and those who have an interest in their business: shared understanding between these groups can further the business interests of all concerned.

The executive body of the Association is a Council, elected by the membership. This group meets four times a year and decides the policy positions the Association will take and the areas it will concentrate on. Membership of the BAPW entitles a company to a vote in elections to the Council and the right to put forward candidates for nomination to it.

Membership also enables the Member company to attend events through the course of the year. These vary year to year, but include an Annual Conference each June. The main event at the conference comprises talks and panel discussions by some of the most interesting figures shaping the future development of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Speakers at our last annual conference included Duncan Eaton, Chief Executive of PASA, Rodney Elgie, European Patients’ Forum, Nimo Ahmed, Head of Intelligence at the MHRA, James Copping, EU Commission, Martin Anderson of the ABPI and Sue Sharpe, PSNC. This event also presents an unparalleled opportunity for networking within the pharmaceutical industry, as attendees are drawn from pharmaceutical wholesalers, manufacturers and trade media representatives. We also shape these events to make them enjoyable for our Members – for example this years annual Conference included a golf day and a gala dinner with horse-race theme and mock races afterwards.

Other events that take place during a typical year could include an annual dinner for the Members and a reception in the House of Commons.

The BAPW also organises a series of working parties involving both full Members and Associate Members which lead discussion on areas of interest to the industry. Recent working parties include issues such as e-commerce and hospital tendering. The process of these discussions helps inform the members better about the issues at stake. Where appropriate these groups develop best practice standards for the industry and produce papers outlining these.

The other main benefit of Membership is information. The BAPW’s policy team provides members with immediate emailed updates on Government policy, and advises as to how this may impact Member’s businesses. This helps Members to be able to respond to important developments and be informed about how policy is developing. The policy team provides analysis of key healthcare developments which are made available on the BAPW website on the exclusive Members section.