The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has renewed its commitment to cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and standardising processes after the average commercial clinical trial set-up times dropped from 169 days to just 122 days, surpassing the government’s ambitious 150-day target. The breakthrough means patients with conditions such as cancer, COPD, and cardiovascular disease can access potentially life-changing treatments faster than ever.
Central to this progress is the NIHR Industry Hub, launched in October 2025, which acts as a single coordinated entry point for commercial research in England. Supported by 35 Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs), the hub provides consistent, scalable trial delivery support across the UK, reaching diverse patient populations regardless of geography.
Structural reforms are reinforcing these improvements. From April 2026, a portion of NIHR funding will be tied directly to performance targets, while research has been formally embedded within NHS Medium Term Planning. In 2025, 29 UK patients were first participants in global trials and 54 in European trials — reflecting growing international confidence in the UK as a research destination.
NIHR Chief Executive Professor Lucy Chappell emphasised that exceeding the 150 day target set for the set up of commercial trials is a milestone made possible by working together to prioritise research, with further improvements part of the NIHR’s ambitions for the future.