The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced a £157 million investment over five years to support ten new Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) across England, beginning in April 2026.

The ARCs will help deliver the ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the Government’s Health and Growth Missions.

These collaborative partnerships between universities, NHS Trusts, local authorities, Health Innovation Networks, Integrated Care Boards and the voluntary sector will focus on applied research to address pressing health and social care challenges.

Health Innovation Minister, Zubir Ahmed, said: “This funding will accelerate the breakthroughs that will underpin the success of our NHS 10 Year Health Plan, ensuring research is going from laboratory to living room and supporting the shift from patient to prevention.”

He added: “Every pound invested in this research is an investment in hope – hope for faster diagnoses, more effective treatments, and a health system that truly works for everyone, no matter where they live or what their background.”

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR, explained: “This new funding shows the NIHR’s ongoing commitment to developing and delivering high-quality health and care research across the country.

“The investment will enable the Applied Research Collaborations to continue to bring new treatments and technologies to patients and the public, supporting the aims of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan to champion innovation and power transformation.”

An additional £75 million will be available for research aligned with departmental priorities, alongside £5 million to establish a national ARC Network. Up to £22 million is also earmarked for a new pan-London ARC.

Professor Marian Knight said: “The ARCs play a vital role in this process, generating evidence around new technologies and treatments, as well as innovative ways of delivering care.”

Patients in the UK are set to benefit from a strengthened partnership between the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as both regulators unveil new plans to accelerate access to cutting-edge medical technologies and artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Announced at the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) conference in San Diego, MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon outlined the agency’s commitment to deepening ties with the FDA and driving global regulatory harmonisation.

Tallon said: “We continue to work in close collaboration, and are taking steps forward in the relationship between FDA and MHRA to strengthen regulatory alignment and reciprocity. We share an ambition to accelerate joint initiatives, enhance policy development and identify and work together on strategic opportunities more effectively.”

The MHRA also launched its National AI Commission, bringing together UK and US experts to shape the safe and transparent use of AI in healthcare. The initiative is part of wider reforms aimed at improving patient safety and reducing barriers to market access for innovative technologies.

Tallon explained: “The US and UK share a common goal – ensuring patients benefit quickly and safely from the latest medical innovations. With US-based thought leadership inputting to our new National AI Commission, and new reliance frameworks for FDA approvals, we are laying the foundations for a truly global, innovation-ready regulatory environment.”

The collaboration includes new international reliance routes, allowing the UK to benefit from medical devices already approved by trusted regulators such as the FDA.
These efforts mirror the FDA’s Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program (TAP), with both agencies exploring deeper transatlantic cooperation to support earlier and safer access to medical advances.