26th May 2023

Minister for Health and Social Services and Director of Health and Care Research Wales welcome new report on commercial clinical trial sector

A major review published today (Friday 26 May) provides recommendations on how commercial clinical trials can help the life sciences sector unlock UK growth and investment opportunities. It also advises on how to resolve key challenges in conducting commercial clinical trials in the UK.

Lord James O’Shaughnessy was appointed by the UK Government in February to conduct the independent review.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, said:

Clinical research plays a vital role in the development of new life-saving and life-improving treatments. Today we welcome a report and recommendations by Lord O’Shaughnessy about the commercial clinical trial sector. We will work with partners in Wales and across the UK to consider the recommendations.”

Since the publication of the UK-wide clinical research strategy in 2001 all four UK nations have been working in collaboration with the NHS, industry and policy-makers to create a patient-centred, pro-innovation and digitally-enabled clinical research environment to start addressing some of the key issues included in today’s report. This includes progress in addressing the speed and efficiency of study set-up, expediting costing, contracting and approvals, making access to and participation in research as easy as possible for everyone across the UK, and building upon digital platforms to deliver clinical research.

Health and Care Research Wales is grateful to the R&D community in Wales for their hard work in supporting the progress made to date and look forward to considering the review recommendations with them.

Director of Health and Care Research Wales, Professor Kieran Walshe, said:

It is vital that the UK is ambitious in its plans for commercial research to ensure all opportunities for growth and investments are maximised, as well as ensuring the UK can offer patients the access to new experimental treatments and technologies. We welcome the review and Wales will play its part, working closely with the other nations, in taking bold steps to improve the UK’s commercial offer.”