UK Strengthens Position as a Global Hub for Clinical Trials

The UK is intensifying efforts to become a preferred global destination for clinical trials, supported by new data showing a strong rise in activity during 2025. Figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reveal a 9% increase in clinical trial applications between January and November 2025 compared with the previous year, with notable growth in early-stage and innovative research.

Trials involving healthy volunteers rose by 16%, while first-in-human studies and trials conducted in the UK for the first time also increased, signalling growing international confidence. Developers are engaging regulators earlier, with MHRA scientific advice meetings rising by 75%.

From April, new clinical trial regulations will introduce faster pathways, including a fast-track route for lower-risk studies and a 14-day assessment for phase 1 trials. Together with greater use of digital tools and overseas data, these reforms aim to speed trial set-up, improve patient access to new treatments, and strengthen the UK’s life sciences competitiveness.

15-01-2026