New scheme grants early access to drugs in development

A new scheme has been launched that will allow patients to receive new drug innovations without having to wait for years. The new Early Access to Medicines scheme will allow newly developed drugs to be fast-tracked, meaning they will be able to be provided to patients without having to receive a license. 

The government announced the news on March 14th, stating that not only will the new scheme provide hope to patients diagnosed with illnesses, it will also help to boost the pharmaceutical industry. 

Patients with debilitating or life-threatening conditions will now be able to be treated with newly developed drugs that could offer them some relief. This means that those who are not within the eligibility parameters for a clinical trial could still receive a drug that is within the development stages.

Provisional approval will now be able to be awarded to companies that have medications in development that could offer relief to patients throughout the country. Companies need only prove to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency that a drug is safe to use in order to receive provisional approval, allowing doctors with the NHS to prescribe the medication to patients. 

The companies that use this scheme will pay all the costs but are able to collect treatment data, which can be used to apply for a full license, allowing them to sell the drug around the world.

Jeremy Hunt, health secretary, said: "Making Britain the best place in the world for science, research and development is a central part of our long term economic plan. This ground-breaking scheme will provide cutting edge medicines earlier, give hope to patients and their families and save lives. And as part of our strategy for Life Sciences it will create more jobs and opportunities for people, helping secure a better future for our country."

Alongside this new scheme, a bank of almost 65,000 medical research volunteers has been launched by the Department of Health in an attempt to make it easier for those with specific conditions to be recruited to clinical trials.