Patients to benefit sooner as UK boosts clinical trials attractiveness with faster assessments and agile regulation

13th January 2026

Patients to benefit sooner as UK boosts clinical trials attractiveness with faster assessments and agile regulation

Summary: The UK government, led by the MHRA and partners, continues to implement wide-ranging reforms aimed at accelerating clinical research and reducing delays for patients. Recent progress includes significantly faster clinical trial approval times (now around 41 days on average, down from around 91 days) thanks to use of digital tools and streamlined processes — meaning patients can enter trials and access innovative therapies sooner. These reforms build on the 10 Year Health Plan, which includes improvements such as simplified setup procedures, integration of ethics and regulatory reviews, use of the NIHR “Be Part of Research” portal via the NHS App to boost patient participation, and new combined review services that support rapid start-ups of studies. The UK has also enacted major clinical trials regulatory changes designed to make the system more agile and proportionate, cutting administrative burdens while maintaining safety and quality — helping to attract investment and positioning the UK as a globally competitive location for clinical research.

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/patients-to-benefit-sooner-as-uk-boosts-clinical-trials-attractiveness-with-faster-assessments-and-agile-regulation

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