UK Introduces Revolutionary Measures For Clinical Trials and Patient Research
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently announced a series of groundbreaking measures in a press release. According to the agency, these measures are aimed at streamlining clinical trials in the United Kingdom. These new regulations are being called “the biggest overhaul in UK clinical trials regulation in over 20 years”.
Legislations and regulations are a part of the clinical trial landscape. Companies undertaking such trials need to be aware of their compliance needs, regardless of the kind of trial and its location. To stay abreast of the legal requirements affecting each trial, companies are required to monitor regulatory databases, either manually, or using automated regulatory monitoring systems, like RegAsk. The new regulations will allegedly position the country as a premier destination for groundbreaking research, benefiting both patients and researchers.
According to the press release, the new framework brings forth a range of measures designed to expedite the approval process and streamline clinical trials applications without compromising safety. Integrating regulatory and ethics reviews of clinical trial applications has shown promising results, reducing approval times by 50% and shortening the time from application to recruiting the first patient by 40 days. Such streamlined processes will become embedded in the new regulations, ensuring a more efficient and proportionate approach.
Under the MHRA’s ambitious plan, the agency commits to completing the review of an application within a maximum of 30 days. The press release also states that decisions are to be granted within a maximum of 10 calendar days upon receipt of final information. These timelines demonstrate the agency’s dedication to expediting the approval process, enabling researchers to initiate trials promptly.
Furthermore, the MHRA’s regulatory changes will establish a future-proof framework that supports various types of trials and innovative designs, including decentralised trials. These modifications will adapt to the evolving landscape of clinical research and provide the flexibility necessary for cutting-edge methodologies and MedTech.
Transparency is also at the core of these changes, the press release states. The framework will introduce a legal mandate to register trials in the World Health Organization (WHO) public register, promoting transparency and accountability. Additionally, a requirement will be imposed to publish a summary of trial results within 12 months of the trial’s conclusion. The dissemination of trial findings to participants in a timely and suitable manner will also be mandated by law.
These revolutionary changes have emerged following a public consultation in partnership with the Health Research Authority (HRA) and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. The invaluable contributions from the public and the research community have played a pivotal role in making these advancements possible.
The new guidance will be created with the help of stakeholders to ensure that UK clinical trials work together with patients and the public. It will emphasise meaningful patient involvement in trial design and implementation, as well as promote diversity in trials to ensure they are representative of the population that may benefit from the resulting medicines.
These legislative changes align with the clinical trials review led by Lord O’Shaughnessy and the work undertaken by Sir Patrick Vallance, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to becoming a science superpower. They build upon the collaborative efforts between the MHRA and stakeholders in recent years to simplify the trial approval process and facilitate seamless initiation.
The reforms further contribute to the broader coordinated program designed to ensure the Recovery, Resilience, and Growth (RRG) of UK clinical research, as outlined in the Government’s visionary plan for The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery. By fostering collaboration within the UK’s research ecosystem, the nation aspires to become a global leader in efficient and cutting-edge clinical research.
To bolster the MHRA’s commitment to being an innovation-first regulator, HM Treasury recently announced 10 million in funding to expedite the availability of innovative medicines to patients in need. The agency will continue working collaboratively with patients and the research community to ensure the swift implementation of these groundbreaking changes, the press release confirms.
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COMTEX_436956995/2764/2023-07-17T16:54:35