From Lab Bench to Living Room: How UK Stakeholders Want to Transform Medicine Development and Use

From Lab Bench to Living Room: How UK Stakeholders Want to Transform Medicine Development and Use

(IN BRIEF) Released on 23 June 2025, Better Medicines gathers informed perspectives from patients, healthcare workers, researchers, industry professionals, and regulators across the UK to examine the entire lifecycle of medicines. Funded by the MRC and NIHR, the report finds universal praise for scientific breakthroughs and trust in safety processes, yet identifies actionable gaps: expanding trial participation beyond major centers, ensuring fair regional access, demystifying safety reporting (like the Yellow Card scheme), and supporting patients through complex prescribing pathways. Both public and professional groups advocate for shared decision-making, reducing waste, and empowering patients, while also recognizing the need for technological solutions to enable multidisciplinary care coordination and smoother treatment transitions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 23-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — On 23 June 2025, a groundbreaking report was unveiled, offering an in-depth look at every stage of the UK medicines pathway—from early discovery right through to patient use—and revealing how treatments might be better tailored to those who research, prescribe, and rely on them.

The study, Better Medicines: Public and Professional Views on the Lifecycle from Discovery to Taking Medicines, was a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University, and University College London. Independent social research firm Hopkins Van Mil led interactive workshops and discussion forums with diverse groups of patients, clinicians, researchers, industry experts, and regulators throughout the UK.

Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), this work captures a wide spectrum of experiences and opinions on how medicines are developed, approved, prescribed, and used in day-to-day life.

Key Insights

• Celebrating Scientific Progress
  Both laypeople and professionals applaud modern pharmaceuticals for revolutionizing health outcomes. There’s deep confidence in the rigorous safety checks within the UK system, and strong appreciation for the NHS’s role in providing equitable access to treatments.
• Broadening Participation in Research
  Stakeholders want trials to extend beyond large university hospitals to include rural and under-served communities. They also emphasize studying long-term drug effects and interactions. Members of the public worry about unknown chronic risks and feel under-supported in joining studies, while researchers point to funding and logistical barriers for community-based trials.
• Reducing Regional Disparities
  Many patients describe a “postcode lottery” in medication availability, seeing it as unfair. Clinicians counter that regional prescribing patterns reflect local needs. Both groups agree on raising awareness of the Yellow Card adverse-event reporting system and on making patient leaflets clearer and more user-friendly. Views diverge when comparing UK standards with those abroad: some public voices admire the variety of options in the U.S., but professionals caution that America’s opioid epidemic illustrates the dangers of looser regulation.
• Easing Prescribing Pressures
  Patients report hurried GP visits and changing doctors frequently, eroding continuity. Healthcare teams cite fragmented IT and communication systems that make collaborative prescribing difficult. Transitions between hospitals, primary care, and community services remain a significant hurdle—especially for individuals on multiple medications.
• Exploring Alternative Therapies and Support
  Survey respondents note frequent drug shortages and limited guidance when switching treatments, sparking interest in non-drug interventions and wellness approaches. Clinicians highlight care handoffs—such as hospital discharge—as critical points of vulnerability. Both publics and professionals back shared decision-making, reducing medication waste, and giving patients greater agency over their own therapies.

“By convening everyone from patients to policymakers, we’ve uncovered where perceptions align and where they clash,” said Professor Reecha Sofat, Breckinridge Chair of Clinical Pharmacology and NIHR Research Professor at the University of Liverpool. “Addressing these issues will not only streamline how medicines reach those in need but also improve people’s lived experiences with treatment.”

Professor Alison Pilnick of Manchester Metropolitan University, who co-led the project, stressed that stakeholders have practical ideas for deeper public involvement, more inclusive trials, and enhanced access to medicines information. She pointed out that current systems often fail to support multidisciplinary teamwork and smooth transitions across care settings—areas ripe for targeted technological improvements.

Read the full report at the University of Liverpool’s Therapeutics Innovation portal: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/frontiers/therapeutics-innovation/

Media contacts:

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool