Clinical trials have always been a vital part of this, establishing safety and efficacy of potential new treatments. With a competitive and collaborative research base, healthcare data assets and significant capabilities in clinical research and NHS translation, the UK is an attractive environment for clinical trials and pioneering research.
This research is vital for many patients; providing people with greater control over their treatment options while offering access to experimental new medicines where there may be no other alternative. This paves the way for the rapid introduction of innovative new treatments into the NHS and promotes the delivery of high-quality care.
Clinical trials also generate jobs in the private sector: within pharmaceutical companies and within service providers such as clinical research organisations.
An attractive research environment also brings investment from international pharmaceutical companies.
The UK has historically set itself apart from other countries with its enviable early stage research offering. It has consistently led Europe and holds its own against the USA and China in early stage clinical trials (Phase I and II), however, it runs the risk of losing out to existing and emerging competitors – and failing to carry research through to later stages of research and healthcare delivery.
Disinvestment would be detrimental to the UK economy and to NHS patients, with benefits of clinical research, as outlined above, lost and patients missing out on access to new and innovative medicines.
Clinical trials are good for patients, good for the NHS and great for the UK economy. But there’s plenty more to be done to make the UK the best place in the world to research, develop and deliver new medicines.
[1] Research and Development in UK Businesses, 2017 (Office for National Statistics, 2018)
[2] World Preview 2019, Outlook to 2024 (EvaluatePharma, 2019)
[6] EvaluatePharma. World Preview 2019, Outlook to 2024. 12th edition (Internet) 2019.