18 new clinical trial hubs to open in UK

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By Sarah Lowden

New clinical trials hubs are to be created in the UK to support faster patient access to cutting-edge treatments, the government has announced.

Up to £400 million of investment will be used to open 18 new clinical trials hubs to accelerate research.

The Department for Health and Social Care said the joint public-private investment programme is the first collaboration of this scale in the world, and it will help "fast-track the development of new medicines" to patients.

Health secretary Wes Streeting said: “This private investment is a significant vote of confidence in the UK...

“It will enhance the UK’s global competitiveness and transform the country into the epicentre of health research, supporting an NHS fit for the future.

“By cutting waiting lists and fixing our NHS, we can make it an engine for growth, and build the healthy society needed for a healthy economy.”

The Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme (VPAG) is a voluntary agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).

'Equitable access to trials'

Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, said: “The life science industry has the potential to deliver so much more for the UK - but to do this we need to fix the NHS, improve patient access to medicines and invest more in our critical science and regulatory infrastructure.

“This world-first Investment Programme puts industry money behind the government’s vision to make better health and science a driver of economic growth.”

Neil Gray, the Scottish government’s health secretary, said: “The VPAG Investment Programme will support our NHS to rapidly deliver truly innovative medicines and therapeutics to the people of Scotland.

“There are also clear economic benefits with the life sciences industry, which is one of the growth sectors in the Scottish economy.”

Mark Drakeford, the Welsh government’s cabinet secretary for health and social care, said the programme was an "exciting opportunity to further enhance the UK life sciences sector".

And Mike Nesbitt, Northern Ireland’s health minister, said VPAG would help to tackle health inequalities by helping to improve equitable access to clinical trials.

Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle said: "We are determined that the most effective new treatments are made available to NHS patients by ensuring the UK is the best place to discover and deploy new medicines, from early research through clinical trials to manufacture.

“Investing in cutting-edge medicines research both boosts our economic growth potential and the prospect of new treatments and technologies for modern patient care. Support for clinical trials is integral to both.”

Around three-quarters of the programme budget will be used to 75% expand the UK's capacity and capability for commercial clinical trials. Up to 18 new Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs) will be established across the four nations.

Around a fifth of the budget will be used for sustainable manufacturing initiatives, aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing waste and emissions within the pharmaceutical sector.

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