Life Sciences

We assist our clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their products, providing advice on R&D, clinical trials, CE and UKCA marking, approval and licensing, pharmacovigilance, regulatory and compliance issues, as well as handling complaints, claims and recalls. Our national team of specialist life sciences lawyers have defended the majority of significant pharmaceutical/medical product liability cases in the UK over the last four decades.

Overview

The significant pharmaceutical/medical product liability cases in which we have acted include Opren, Whooping Cough Vaccine, Benzodiazepines, HIV Haemophilia, Oral Contraceptives, MMR and the Hepatitis C litigation.

We also have 35 years expertise in defending blood products litigation for the NHS and National Blood Service.

With a speciality in advising on clinical trials, we were instructed in the Northwick Park trial of the monoclonal antibody TGN1412 which led to a review of the conduct of all phase 1 clinical trials.

We have been involved in the development of group litigation in the UK, as pharmaceutical and healthcare product liability cases are often, by their nature, novel and repercussive.

Our coverage capability includes commercial, data protection and intellectual property specialists with strong experience in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sector.

Our expertise includes advising on medical device regulations, software guidance, AIaMD, the development of immunotherapy products, marketing and regulatory compliance, labelling, advertising and comparative claims, consumer protection issues, supply chain, contractual and indemnity issues, reputation and brand protection, jurisdictional and cross border issues.

Our product liability department is top ranked in both of the profession’s leading legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers.

Featured experience

  • Advising on Covid-19 therapeutics and medical device issues for those designing and manufacturing ventilators; making and supplying PPE; setting up clinical trials for Covid-19 therapeutics and for vaccines; and manufacturing and deploying Covid-19 antigen and antibody test kits including the National Testing Programme.
  • Acting for the National Blood Authority and all NHS Trusts, on the instruction of NHS Resolution (formerly the NHS Litigation Authority), in the Hepatitis C litigation. We also coordinated the NHS defence in the HIV Haemophilia litigation.
  • Acting for clinical trial insurers in respect of claims and issues arising from the clinical trial of monoclonal antibody TGN1412 at Northwick Park Hospital.

What our clients say

  • They have a high level of legal knowledge and strategic awareness and are clear in conclusions, analysis, and recommendations.

    Chambers 2022, Life Sciences: Product Liability

  • Alison McAdams is punctilious and very legally and technically knowledgeable. I have huge respect for her insights.

    Chambers 2022, Product Liability

Life Sciences key contacts

Who we are

Why choose DAC Beachcroft?

We’re a broad-based commercial firm serving a wide range of sectors with a strong heritage in insurance,
health and real estate. We combine excellent legal skills and cutting-edge delivery expertise to design
solutions that fit the needs of our clients – often involving clever uses of technology.