Words by Jade Williams
The UK is regaining its position as a global hub for industry clinical trials, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). But while progress is evident, challenges remain in the space.
The UK’s rank for phase III clinical trials has risen from 10th to 8th place since 2021. However, it still lags behind European peers such as Spain which ranks 3rd, with Germany and Italy not far behind in 6th and 7th place respectively. In a similar vein, phase II trials saw the UK rise from 6th to 4th place, though this progress was offset by a decline in phase I rankings, which fell to 5th.
This mixed performance extends to the number of trials initiated in the UK. Industry trials increased modestly, rising from 411 in 2022 to 426 in 2023. Phase III trials showed strong growth, up 16.5% to 212, yet phase II trials remained stagnant, and phase I trials suffered a steep 26.6% decline.
In addition, participant recruitment was a mixed bag. Participation in interventional trials fell by 13.8% to 22,191 in 2023/24, the lowest in seven years. However, total recruitment rose significantly to 150,191, but this was driven by a few large observational studies conducted over this period.
To boost trial activity, the ABPI recommends:
- Investing £300m to expand trial capacity and infrastructure
- Reducing trial set-up times
- Simplifying engagement with the UK’s trial delivery system
- Embedding research into NHS practices
- Publishing a workforce plan to improve trial delivery
- Standardising trial performance reporting.
Calling for continued efforts, Richard Torbett, Chief Executive, ABPI, stated that: “It’s promising to see that positive Government action in response to earlier decline is beginning to pave the way to industry clinical trials recovery, although the UK still has a long way to go to return to its previous globally leading position.”
He added that the prominence of clinical research in the forthcoming ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan’ and the NHS 10-year plan would signal the UK’s renewed commitment to its global pharmaceutical presence.
