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Millions of patients can now sign up to take part in clinical trials via the NHS App, the government has said.
In an announcement, published on 16 June 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: “Millions of people will now be able to search for and sign up to life-changing clinical trials, via the NIHR [National Institute for Health Research] Be Part of Research service on the NHS App, allowing patients to browse and find the trials best suited to their interests and needs.”
It added that, eventually, integration of the NIHR Be Part of Research service on the NHS App will automatically match patients with studies based on their own health data and interests, and patients will receive push notifications on their phones about relevant new trials to sign up to.
The government said it was particularly encouraging underrepresented groups, including young people, black people and people of South Asian heritage, to sign up.
The new system forms part of the NHS ten-year health plan, which is expected to be published soon.
As part of the plan, a national standardised contract for trials will be introduced, which “will see commercial clinical trial set-up times fall from around 250 days to 150 days or less by March 2026”, the DHSC said.
In addition, NHS trusts and organisations will need to submit data on the number of trials being conducted and the amount of progress being made, with government investment linked to how well trusts are supporting clinical trials.
Health secretary Wes Streeting commented: “The NHS App will become the digital front door to the NHS and enable all of us as citizens to play our part in developing the medicines of the future. The British people showed they were willing to be part of finding the vaccine for COVID[-19], so why not do it again to cure cancer and dementia?
“By slashing through red tape and making it easier for patients to take part, reforms in our ten-year plan will grow our life sciences sector, generate new funds for the NHS to reinvest in frontline care and benefit patients through better medicines.”
Nicola Perrin, chief executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), said: “Clinical trials are good for patients, the NHS and the economy. But both commercial and non-commercial trials in the UK have closed because of failures to recruit.”
“Today’s announcements will help to maximise opportunities for everyone to take part in research and speed up access to innovative treatments,” she added.
Perrin also welcomed the NIHR’s focus on driving up the participation of diverse and underserved groups.
Andrew Morris, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “The focus on improving participation from underrepresented communities is important, though success will depend on earning trust and addressing the broader barriers to diverse participation.
“By embedding research throughout the NHS and making it accessible to all communities, we can ensure that medical innovation benefits reach every corner of society whilst strengthening the UK’s position as a hub for life sciences investment and discovery.”
The government announcement coincides with a report, published on 12 June 2025 by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the AMRC, which focuses on improving diversity and inclusivity in clinical trials.
It highlighted findings from a UK study run by Ipsos in 2024, which found that some 58% of UK adults expressed willingness to participate in clinical trials; however, among ethnic minority adults, 41% reported a willingness to participate.
Of those invited to participate in a clinical trial, 36% of adults from an ethnic minority background had gone on to participate, compared with 44% of white adults, the report revealed.
It recommended that the ABPI, AMRC, NHS and NIHR share and promote best practice for improving clinical research inclusion.
The report also called on the DHSC to work with the NIHR and devolved nations to develop an approach for measuring, collecting and reporting clinical trial diversity by the end of 2025.
Alana Wilde, equality, diversity and inclusion manager at NIHR, said: “We’re really keen to see eligibility criteria drop off wherever possible; things like upper age limits, requirements to attend during working hours, or travel burdens. These often seem innocuous but systematically exclude people who are already underserved by research.”
