Newcastle Hospitals has secured funding as part of a £100m national investment to give more people the opportunity to take part in clinical trials.
Based within the Royal Victoria Infirmary, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC) will act as a regional hub for pioneering clinical trials.
Network of researchers
The CRDC will support a network of researchers in hospitals and GP practices across the region, delivering trials for a range of health conditions.
Following on from the successful NIHR Patient Recruitment Centre, the CRDC will create opportunities to test new treatments with the latest equipment and technology across the region.
It will also support the rapid set-up of commercial studies so patients can begin accessing treatments undergoing trials as early as possible.
Latest trials and treatments
Dr Ashley Price, director of the NIHR Newcastle CRDC and infectious diseases consultant at Newcastle Hospitals, said:
“I am delighted that Newcastle Hospitals has been awarded funding to host the CRDC for the next seven years.
“The CRDC will focus on creating more opportunities for people to take part in research and will work with other hospitals and GP partners in the region to achieve this.
“Our aim is to give more people access to the latest clinical trials and treatments and reach people in the community who otherwise might not consider taking part in research.”
Significant investment
The funding is part of a wider £400 million joint public-private investment scheme – the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme.
VPAG is a unique partnership between the government and the pharmaceutical industry to boost the global competitiveness of the UK life science sector and stimulate economic growth.
Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said:
“This significant private investment in health research is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK’s leading research and life sciences sector.
“The new hubs will help shift research from large hospitals into smaller communities, allowing more people to access cutting-edge treatments earlier across the UK.
“Prevention is better than cure – these trials will help unlock the next generation of treatments, boost economic growth and build an NHS fit for the future.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and chief executive officer of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), said:
“Clinical trials help improve lives. Boosting the NHS’s capacity to deliver commercial clinical research through these new Commercial Research Delivery Centres will support recruitment across all communities and bring innovative treatments to patients.
“The effects of these centres will be felt right across the four nations, bringing investment into the UK’s life sciences sector.”
Notes to editors:
- VPAG is a voluntary agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), designed to improve patient outcomes, manage the NHS medicines bill, and support the life sciences industry. Launched as part of the scheme, additional investment from pharmaceutical companies will support implementation of the investment programme.
