Newly released figures show that the average time to set up a commercial interventional clinical trial has fallen from 169 days to 122 days when comparing the same six month period this year to last.
This follows a combined £137million investment in health research reforms, which removed bureaucracy, standardised processes and invested in research infrastructure.
Faster clinical trials would mean that patients could access new medicines, vaccines and treatments sooner.
A major international study into COPD took its first patients in just 81 days - roughly half the time it used to take to successfully open a trial. A trial testing a new cancer treatment for people with advanced bowel cancer was up and running in just 70 days and a UK patient was the first person in the whole of Europe to receive that treatment.
Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said: “The UK has always had world-class science and outstanding NHS clinicians. Today’s figures show we are now matching that excellence with a system that slashes red tape to get trials up and running at the speed patients deserve.
Behind every clinical trial is a person — someone living with a serious illness, waiting for a treatment that could change their life. Getting that treatment to them sooner is real hope arriving sooner for patients and their families.
“Today’s progress is something to be proud of — but we know we can go further and we intend to. This is exactly what our 10 Year Health Plan looks like in practice: a government that sets ambitious targets, backs them with real investment, and delivers. We are not stopping here — 150 days is a milestone, not a finish line, and we remain committed to reducing this further.”
MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon said: "This is a timely moment to reflect on the impressive gains and considerable growth that our reforms have already delivered particularly in early and innovative research.
"There has been a marked increase in clinical trial applications, and we are consistently meeting or exceeding targets for combined review.
"We’re already seeing greater confidence from industry that the UK is the best place to run clinical trials. The new regulations coming into force this month solidify our commitment to accelerating research and earlier access for patients to ground-breaking medicines."
