Following months of heated debate in parliament and growing civil division, March 29 – the original date set for the UK’s separation from the European Union – looks set to pass amid yet more fighting and uncertainty, with MPs seemingly unable to agree the terms of the divorce and no one having a clear idea of what might happen next. As the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Ana Nicholls stresses (p20), the pharmaceutical industry and patients must be prepared for all eventualities, particularly with the looming threat of border delays and drug shortages.

Meanwhile, our cover feature this month (p16) considers the diverse needs of local NHS health economies as they respond to the NHS Long Term Plan. How can pharma best adapt to this new landscape and better engage with its customer?

On page 24, we find out what autonomous cars could teach digital healthcare about building engagement to help drive uptake. There’s also a look at the direction of digital health and some of the key collaborations that could impact patient care globally over the next year (p26), and the importance of a sound digital approach to achieving brand launch success (p34).

There’s also insight from Eric Hughes on his role at Novartis and the field of immuno-dermatology (p40), while Tracy Nesbit shares her experiences with insomnia on page 45. I hope you enjoy the issue!