Words by Jade Williams
The UK government has announced a significant new initiative to accelerate drug discovery and improve patient care in the country.
Backed by an investment of up to £600m in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, the creation of a Health Data Research Service aims to improve access to NHS data, empower researchers and accelerate medical breakthroughs.
The new service aims to provide a single secure access point to national-scale datasets, making it easier for researchers to access the data needed to develop new treatments. The move is intended to strengthen the UK’s position as a leader in medical research and innovation.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was “determined” to make Britain the best place in the world to invest in medical research. “That is not just good for patients and their families. It means growth that puts more money in working people’s pockets with more, better paid jobs.”
Patient data security will apparently remain a top priority, with robust safeguards such as anonymisation and virtual locked rooms in place to ensure privacy.
Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said that these changes “will unblock the barriers preventing our greatest scientists from safely accessing what they need to save patients’ lives – while keeping data secure”.
In addition to improving data access, the government is overhauling clinical trial processes. In 2022, setting up a clinical trial took over 250 days on average, whereas a new target has been set to reduce this to 150 days by March 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the industry, Janet Valentine, Executive Director of Innovation and Research Policy at the ABPI, expressed her support for the plans, adding that it will be vital for the pharmaceutical industry to play an integral role in the design and implementation of the new Health Data Research Service to ensure its success.
