Less red tape and lower costs: How the UK-EU political reset can support cancer research progress worldwide

As Europe and Global Affairs manager for Cancer Research UK, I love hearing from our researchers, and scientists based in other countries who collaborate with the UK. Brilliant people at different career stages from different places working in labs, universities and hospitals. They’re so passionate about their global collaborations. I’m always left in no doubt that these partnerships are as strong as ever. We’ve got so many great examples. 

After all, science is global. We’re in a golden age of cancer research and cancer is the defining health issue of our time. No single country will beat cancer alone. Evidence shows that collaborating overseas makes research more impactful, speeding up the development of groundbreaking discoveries. The enthusiasm and motivation for collaboration is huge. 

The impact on research 

Over the last few years, I’ve been asking how it’s going now the UK is outside the EU. Does it have any impact on our research community’s work or plans?  

Every time, I get similar stories: clinical trials delayed; drugs stuck in transit; samples destroyed; difficulties recruiting to permanent posts; waits for innovative bits of kit; uncertainty about project funding; the enforced use of expensive couriers; concerns about data-sharing; and frustration at fewer chances to offer shorter-term opportunities to EU-based scientists that push the barriers of research.  

Over and over it’s been the same: more delays; higher costs. 79% of researchers we surveyed said that since the UK left the EU it has been harder to begin new collaborations with EU-based scientists and researchers. 

The most frustrated researchers tend to be those who can’t yet offer their patients a place on a clinical trial they know might provide the best hope, because of more red tape and higher costs to open the trial in the UK. In particular, this has been the case for children’s and young people’s cancer trials.  

For a while, some of the delays and higher costs were almost certainly due to COVID-19. But by 2023, we decided to dig deeper to get a clear picture. Was the UK’s new relationship with the EU having a real impact on research and therefore, ultimately, on people affected by cancer?  

We surveyed Cancer Research UK’s research community and we asked people affected by cancer what matters to them. We worked with the University of Southampton’s Hatch Consultancy, who conducted a rapid scoping review, interviews and focus groups.  

The report “Everything’s harder”, but “the spirit of science is still there” has a clear answer: “The challenges currently being faced are having a direct negative impact on people affected by cancer”. The environment for research continues to be affected by regulation and policy, by political messaging, funding decisions and by the way change is communicated.  

Cancer Research UK’s new policy report, “Nothing should stand in the way” uses this evidence to set out our ideas for the UK-EU “re-set”.  

Steps to effective collaboration 

In our report, we set out four priority recommendations for effective collaboration between the UK and EU. 

• Avoid duplication in clinical trial set-up to reduce red tape and costs: a UK-EU ‘mutual recognition agreement’ to include medicines manufacturing site inspections, batch release and testing (and the processes around these). 

• The UK Government should support global research programmes: ensure the UK continues to associate with Horizon Europe and its successor, as a third country. Join EU4Health and health-related workstreams of wider EU funding programmes. And join future global research programmes, with clear, positive messages about UK support for the global research environment. 

• Reduce trade friction: support the logistics industry to meet cross-border regulatory requirements more effectively, ensuring scientists can access items needed for research in a timely manner.  

• Ensure data flows: grant the UK and EU data adequacy in mutual renewal decisions due this year. The UK Government should ensure the UK’s data protection environment doesn’t put at risk a renewal in 2025 of the EU’s decision in favour of UK data adequacy.  

These steps will ensure that the UK and EU can maximise research impact and, as a result, improve outcomes for people with cancer.