Connect Images/ Alamy Stock Photo
The number of people taking part in industry clinical trials in the NHS has fallen for the fifth year in a row, data published by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) show.
In its latest annual clinical trials report, published on 5 November 2026, the ABPI highlighted that 17,618 people took part in NHS clinical trials in 2025/2026, down from 19,507 in 2024/2025. This figure is also 31% lower than in 2022/2023, it revealed.
The report noted that industry sponsored studies accounted for 3.8% of interventional clinical trial participants in 2025/2026. In a press release published alongside the report, the ABPI said that the figure was “consistently” above 10% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the government’s ‘Life sciences sector plan’, published in July 2025, it pledged to double the number of people taking part in industry trials by 2026.
Commenting on the figures, Joe Edwards, executive director UK competitiveness at the ABPI, described the continued fall in recruitment as “worrying”, adding that companies invest in clinical trials where “every site can open quickly and recruit reliably”.
Amira Guirguis, chief scientist at the Royal College of Pharmacy, told The Pharmaceutical Journal on 5 November 2026 that she also found the trend “concerning”.
She added: “It means fewer patients have the opportunity to take part in research that could lead to new treatments.
“Pharmacy professionals have an important role in supporting clinical research, bringing expertise in medicines management, patient safety and patient engagement. Better supporting and utilising their skills can help strengthen research delivery.
“Sustained investment in research infrastructure, workforce capacity and equitable access is also essential to ensure patients benefit from this progress.”
In its clinical trials report, the ABPI explained that despite the fall in participant numbers, clinical trial set-up has improved, particularly at the regulatory stage. In August 2026, every study received an approval decision within 60 days, it continued.
Government figures on UK clinical research delivery, published on 21 October 2026, show the same. All approved studies received combined review approval within 60 days in August 2026 and September 2026, against a 99% target, the figures showed.
Legislation to speed up approvals came into force across the UK on 28 April 2026, which the government described as “the largest package of reforms in over 20 years”. Under the legislation, researchers can also apply for ethics and regulatory approval at the same time.
The ABPI report also suggested that the time it takes to apply for approval to the recruitment of the first participant is falling. For commercial contract drug trials, the median time was 112 days in 2025/2026, down from 157 days in 2024/2025, the figures show.
These figures use data from the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s portfolio management system.
In its press release, the ABPI noted that the time taken for studies to open for recruitment after regulatory approval is “still a concern”.
In 2025/2026, 35% of studies opened to patients within 60 days of approval, against a target of 90%, the ABPI said. It also highlighted that some 53% of studies recruited their first patient within 30 days of opening.
In addition, the ABPI report makes five recommendations to governments across the UK, the NHS and industry, which include a call for a UK-wide service that uses NHS data to help find and enrol suitable patients.
