The UK is regaining its appeal as a hub for clinical trials, according to a recent report by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). After a decline that saw the UK drop from fourth to tenth place globally in hosting Phase III trials between 2017 and 2021, the latest data indicates a recovery, with the UK now ranked eighth. This shift suggests that recent government actions are beginning to positively influence the clinical trial landscape, although the UK still lags behind European counterparts like Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Trial Phase Trends
While the overall number of clinical trials initiated in the UK has increased from 411 in 2022 to 426 in 2023, the growth is unevenly distributed across trial phases. Phase III trials, which are closest to potential treatment approvals, experienced a notable increase of 16.5%, rising from 182 to 212. In contrast, Phase II trials remained relatively stable, and Phase I trials saw a significant decrease of 26.6%, falling from 79 to 58.
Participant Recruitment
Despite the increase in overall trial numbers, participant recruitment in interventional industry clinical trials has decreased by 13.8%, from 25,730 to 22,191 in the 2023/2024 period. This decline represents the lowest number of participants in industry trials over the past seven years. However, commercial research studies saw a threefold increase in recruitment, from 44,546 to 150,101, primarily due to a few large observational studies.
ABPI Recommendations
The ABPI report outlines six key recommendations to further enhance the UK's attractiveness as a clinical trial location:
- Strategic investment of the £300 million VPAG Clinical Trials Investment Programme to boost capacity and infrastructure.
- Prioritization of reducing set-up times for trial delivery.
- Streamlining and integrating the UK clinical trials delivery system.
- Embedding research as a standard practice within the NHS, offering patients opportunities to participate in studies.
- Publication of a research workforce plan to improve clinical research delivery within the NHS.
- Enhancing transparency and accountability for UK clinical trial performance through standardized reporting.
Industry Perspective
Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the ABPI, commented on the report, stating, "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 further emphasized the need for continued focus on the report's recommendations to accelerate progress and signal to the global industry that the UK is open for business.
Economic Impact
Increased clinical trial activity in the UK has the potential to significantly contribute to both health and economic growth. Research-active hospitals are associated with improved patient outcomes, and industry clinical trials bring substantial economic benefits. In 2022, these trials contributed £7.4 billion to the UK economy, supported 65,000 jobs, and generated £1.2 billion in revenue for the NHS. Restoring clinical trial activity to 2017 levels could generate an additional £3 billion in GVA and support 25,000 new jobs.
