The number of participants recruited into UK industry interventional clinical trials fell by 13.8 per cent between 2022/23 and 2023/24. This continued a year-on-year decrease in the number of participants into UK industry interventional clinical trials - with the exception of the pandemic period - and was the lowest number of individuals participating in these trials over the past seven-year period.
Source: ABPI 'The road to recovery for UK industry clinical trials' report (2024)
We’re working to change that
The government, industry and system partners are working together to restore the UK’s global position in industry clinical trials and maximise their benefits to patients, the NHS, and the UK economy. Thanks to these joint efforts, the UK is beginning to show signs of recovery.
Our own ABPI data shows that the total number of industry clinical trials initiated in the UK per year rose from 411 in 2022 to 426 in 2023.
The NHS National Contract Value Review is making progress in streamlining clinical trial set-up, reducing timelines by 36%, and its second pilot stage represents a major leap forward.
Building on this progress requires continued, focused implementation of the recommendations set out in the O’Shaughnessy Review.
Prioritising actions that deliver tangible progress at pace and scale will continue to be crucial to enabling more patients to benefit from research.
Greater diversity and inclusivity in UK clinical research are also essential to ensure the development of innovative medicines meets the needs of patient populations. To address this, the ABPI, together with the Association of Medical Research Charities, has called for a UK-wide strategy through a co-produced 'Achieving inclusivity in clinical research' report, which sets out recommendations to remove barriers and widen research participation.
