The NIHR has awarded more than £14 million to GP-led primary care organisations across England to expand commercial research delivery and improve access to groundbreaking clinical trials. The investment will establish 14 new NIHR Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centres (PC-CRDCs), funded through a public-private partnership between the government and the pharmaceutical industry’s Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme.Aligned with the government’s health and growth missions, the PC-CRDCs will support the shift of research and care from hospitals into community settings. They will enhance access to clinical trials for people across England, particularly those in underserved groups and communities experiencing the greatest burden of ill health. By ensuring fairer access to cutting-edge treatments and innovations such as medicines and vaccines through research, the centres aim to help people live healthier, longer lives. This investment positions the UK at the forefront of the global life sciences sector. It will enhance the UK’s capacity and capability to deliver commercial clinical trials within primary care, supporting the UK’s aim to be a global leader in commercial clinical research delivery. What the PC-CRDCs will doThe PC-CRDCs will:Accelerate the delivery of commercial clinical trials in primary care with gold standard set-up times and performance, through standardised costing, contracting, and dedicated staff and facilities with consistency of practice.Act as hubs to support decentralisation and diversification of clinical trial delivery, leveraging relationships with local NHS organisations, their Integrated Care Systems and NIHR Infrastructure to make trial participation easier and more inclusive.Contribute to an increase in research inclusion to ensure people from all eligible communities can participate in commercial clinical trials.The PC-CRDCs will form part of the NIHR-funded Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC) UK Network, alongside the 21 CRDCs established in April 2025. Together these centres will work with industry, NHS delivery partners, other research delivery infrastructure and wider stakeholders to increase the attractiveness of the UK as a desirable global destination to carry out commercial research. Find out more on the NIHR website Tags News Publication date 21 Oct, 2025
