27 April 2016 - The Presidential race is one of several factors stirring inflation concerns, Andrew Witty says.

Pressure on drug prices in the US will continue to grow regardless of who wins November’s presidential election, the chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline has predicted.

Sir Andrew Witty said the race for the White House was “shining a light” on rising costs in the US healthcare system, with both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the leading candidates, promising action to rein in drug spending.

He said, however, that the election was just one of several factors increasing pressure on pharmaceuticals companies in the US as insurers and other healthcare “payers” join politicians in trying to control drug price inflation.

“What we are seeing now in the US is, across the board in many, many different parts of the system, a very sustained set of changes of procurement practice,” Sir Andrew told reporters after announcing first-quarter results.

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