Coronavirus pandemic halts life-saving UK cancer and heart disease research

Thousands of clinical trials have closed permanently or been suspended – and may never have the cash to restart

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More than 1,500 clinical trials of new drugs and treatments for cancers, heart disease and other serious illnesses have been permanently closed down in Britain in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, a further 9,000 have been suspended and most will need major cash injections if they are to be reactivated.

The figures highlight the catastrophic effect that Covid-19 has had on UK medical research, which has suffered a devastating blow to development of new life-saving treatments. Improvements in disease-survival rates are likely to slow, or stop, while the country’s next generation of researchers will have far fewer opportunities to train and develop fresh clinical expertise.

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