As the government streamlines clinical trials, funds have been earmarked to establish 20 new clinical research hubs to accelerate research into the next generation of treatments.
The government has announced £100 million of public-private investment from pharmaceutical companies to set up 20 research hubs across the country and to give what it calls patients across the UK access to “cutting-edge treatments”.
Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs) will act as regional hubs for pioneering clinical trials, creating opportunities to test innovative new treatments with the latest equipment and technology in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Of those, 13 have been set up in England, four have been established in Scotland, two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
These trials will build UK research delivery leadership into all conditions across multi-specialist centres. This includes cancer and obesity, as well as infectious diseases such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The CRDCs will support the rapid set-up of commercial studies so patients can begin accessing treatments undergoing trials as early as possible.
“Prevention is better than cure – these trials will help unlock the next generation of treatments, boost economic growth and build an NHS fit for the future,” said health minister Gillian Merron.
In support of the 10-Year Health Plan, CRDCs will shift clinical trials into community settings, meaning those in under-served regions will be better able to participate in research. This will boost access to new treatments in the trial stage.
Removing red tape
At the same time, legislation has been laid that will speed up clinical trial approvals. The aim is to remove administrative red tape and streamline processes to get clinical trials up and running as quickly as possible.
It will see duplicative requirements removed and processes streamlined, with the introduction of the combined review and notification scheme for some clinical trial initial applications and amendments embedded into law.
The reforms were developed through a series of stakeholder workshops, seeking the views of a wide range of organisations and individuals from across the clinical research sector, including patient representatives. A public consultation took place from January to March 2022, to which over 2,000 responses were received, and the government response was published in March 2023.
“If we are to turn the latest advances in medical science into breakthrough treatments and therapeutics for patients, it is essential that leading businesses and private investment work in partnership with the NHS,” said science minister Iain Vallance.
