A few years ago Big Pharma threatened the government that unless the Gov cracked down on anyone who opposed Big Pharma interests then Big Pharma would leave the UK. The government, likely swayed by huge 'donations' from Big pharma to it's party funds caved into the big business pressure and started harrassing all dissent against Big Pharma.

Now Big Pharma are upset because in 2 years time the NHS will stop paying their hugely inflated prices for drugs that can be produced by generic makers for a fraction of the price. They don't like the fact that they won't be able to run what amounts to a mugging of public funds. SO Big Pharma is back to it's old tricks. "Unless you do what we say we'll leave the UK".

from  http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101101/full/news.2010.574.html:

"Prices for drugs in the United Kingdom are governed by the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme, which allows companies to set prices when they launch products. But this agreement expires in 2013, and the government plans to introduce a system of 'value-based pricing' (VBP), in which fees are negotiated with companies on the basis of a scientific assessment of the drug's clinical value.

...

Richard Barker, director general of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry in London, says if Britain is perceived as unfriendly to innovation, the pharmaceutical industry could move funding for research elsewhere. "Investment decisions are made by people — they look to invest in markets where they are welcome," he says. "