Innovative Trials welcomes government progress on UK clinical trials but says education is also key
Kate Shaw, founder and CEO of Innovative Trials, has welcomed the publication of the Government’s full response to Lord O’Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials in the UK, which was published this week. She said:
“It’s encouraging to see the Government taking the Lord O’Shaughnessy review seriously, having implemented clear action over the last six months to increase clinical trial activity within the UK and setting out further ambitious plans. This country has a proud history of world-leading science and innovation and I am positive that the downturn in studies being run in the UK can be overcome – indeed, the ABPI is already reporting an uptick although I recognise there is still a long way to go.
“The clearance of the backlog of clinical trial applications by the MHRA is a welcome achievement and the new streamlined approval process for studies should minimise delays for sponsors going forward. We are also pleased to see a drive to increase the diversity of clinical trial participants, which is the only way to assess a therapy’s safety and effectiveness for every patient who needs it, and is something we have been highlighting for several years.
“The ambition by the Government to make it easier for the public to take part in trials through the proposed Be Part of Research app is an honourable goal but could be bolstered further by a focus on grassroots education to help people better understand what clinical research is and what it involves. Simply making it easier to access trial information isn’t enough, we need greater awareness and knowledge among the public so that more people are open to the idea of getting involved.”
Lord O’Shaughnessy’s final report into commercial clinical trials in the UK was published earlier this year. It included 27 recommendations in total, including short- and longer-term priorities to tackle the decline in UK-based clinical trials.
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Notes to editors
About Innovative Trials
Innovative Trials is a leading global clinical trial patient recruitment and retention company. With over 10 years’ experience, Innovative Trials deploys “boots-on-the-ground” patient recruitment experts in over 70 countries, addressing individual sites’ unique recruitment and retention challenges in local language. Innovative Trials has experience in more than 25 therapeutic areas across 90+ conditions working with some of the biggest global pharmaceuticals, Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), and biotech companies. Innovative Trials was founded in 2010 by Kate Shaw and Dave Watkins after identifying a growing need for clinical trial patient recruitment support.
For more information, visit www.innovativetrials.com