The NHS holds a vast reservoir of anonymized patient data that could revive the UK’s struggling commercial clinical trials sector, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). The group says current recruitment methods are slow and inefficient, leading to high screen-failure rates and declining participation.
UK industry-led trial enrollment has dropped to its lowest since 2017/18, with only 3.4% of participants joining company-sponsored studies. Manual screening burdens overstretched staff and often excludes patients late in the process due to mismatched criteria.
The ABPI proposes using the upcoming Health Data Research Service (HDRS) to search anonymized NHS records across the country. Central teams would identify potential candidates and refer them to local sites for verification and recruitment-streamlining entry and reducing wasted effort.
Dr Janet Valentine, ABPI’s Executive Director of Innovation and Research Policy, said NHS data could give the UK a strategic edge over global competitors. She emphasized the economic stakes: restoring trial activity to 2017 levels could generate £3bn, inject £485m into the NHS, and support 26,000 jobs.
The plan was developed with pharma companies, NHS leaders, and health data providers. It aligns with government goals to expand research and responsible data use, aiming to make the UK a top destination for global R&D investment.