Our cover feature (p31) this month takes a renewed look at how artificial intelligence is shaping an exciting new horizon for pharma and healthcare. It is clear that pharma must closely align with the NHS and that both must fully engage with the modern patient to realise the limitless potential of the field.

However, flying the flag for augmented intelligence, Peter Crane argues (p34) that the greatest strength of the biopharma industry remains its people - the highly qualified scientists who design, develop and test new therapeutics. New technologies should allow this pool of talent to spend more of their time focused on innovation, he says.

Elsewhere, the team at Wilmington Healthcare highlight on page 16 that the new GP contract will stimulate ‘some of the biggest changes in general practice in 15 years’. Again we are hearing that in this emerging landscape pharma must wrap its value proposition around a service that adds real value to the NHS rather than simply providing a product, to satisfy the needs of new customer groups.

There’s also a fascinating insight into the work of the Rosetta project team, which is developing a ‘Google Earth’ of cancer to guide development of more efficient drugs (p36), while we also talk to the wonderful Cyndi Lauper about her experiences with the skin disorder plaque psoriasis (p45).

I hope you enjoy the issue!