Patients miss out as NHS mental health trials decline 44% in five years

Thousands of individuals in the U.K. with mental health conditions are being left behind in accessing innovative treatments due to the NHS losing ground to private companies in clinical research, as per a recent study conducted by The University of Manchester.

Recent data indicates a significant decline of 44% in NHS recruitment into commercial clinical trials over the past five years. Meanwhile, private contract research organizations (CROs) have seen a surge in activity, offering specialized facilities, efficient operations, and increased compensation to participants. This shift has led pharmaceutical companies to prioritize these private firms over the NHS and universities for conducting early-stage mental health trials.

The study, published in the journal Brain, gathered insights from pharmaceutical executives and patients who had participated in mental health trials. Patients mentioned their motivation to join trials stemmed from the prospect of closer medical supervision, early access to promising medications, and the desire to enhance services for others. Despite these reasons, many patients expressed dissatisfaction with NHS-led studies, citing issues such as lack of communication, post-trial updates, and uncertainty about data usage.

A crucial factor influencing participation is financial compensation. CROs typically offer more generous reimbursements compared to the NHS, making trial involvement more appealing. Researchers argue that for the NHS to remain competitive, a review of patient compensation practices is necessary.

“The NHS possesses world-class expertise and access to diverse patient populations, but without adequate investment and streamlined processes, there is a risk of missing out on breakthroughs in mental health treatments,” stated Dr. Aiste Adomaviciene, the lead researcher from Manchester’s Division of Psychology and Mental Health.