IMS Health UK has acquired HGS Europe in a move that expands its market access capabilities in the UK and Ireland. 

The deal sees HGS Europe's founders Graeme and Angela McFarlane (pictured right) bring the market access services of HGS to the IMS Health UK team. 

Together the McFarlanes bring more than 40 years' experience in marketing, sales, consulting and senior management roles in the pharmaceutical industry at companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb and MSD, and also in the pharmaceutical outsourcing, healthcare data and technology and private hospital sectors.

IMS Health UK's general manager Mike Sanvoisin said: “The UK healthcare environment is changing rapidly and we believe we can best serve our clients by being at the forefront of innovation, developing offerings and services that enable them to tap into new or niche segments of their markets.

“Having Graeme and Angela in the UK team with their unique skills will help us do just that.”

Angela McFarlane, market access director, HGS Europe, said: “Joining the IMS Health UK team presents an exciting opportunity for our market access growth strategy, bringing extremely relevant and powerful data streams and real world technology necessary for the provision of a fully joined-up offering.”

HGS Europe's managing director Graeme McFarlane added: “Being part of IMS Health UK allows us to reach into new skills sets and services to enrich our market access offering. In addition, through the IMS Consulting Group we will have the geographic footprint to expand our market access offering in Europe.”

Established in 1998, HGS Europe works with clients to engage with NHS payers and secure patient access to innovative medicines, working across rare diseases with orphan drugs and in therapeutic areas such as oncology, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, respiratory and mental health.