Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of patients with (a) suspected and (b) confirmed rare cancers who have access to treatments through clinical trials of medications currently approved for other indications.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with rare cancers, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials, including trials where medicines are repurposed, as well as innovative, lifesaving treatments.

The Department is working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including for rare cancers. The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country, including patients with rare cancers. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Bill and its ambitions to incentivise clinical trials and access to innovative treatments for rare cancers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (b) the National institute for Health and Care Excellence on access to innovative treatment for patients with brain tumours.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. As such, officials meet regularly with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to cover a range of related issues.

The Department is working with delivery partners and key stakeholders, including the MHRA, to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of future medicines and therapies, including for brain tumours.

The MHRA is engaging with public, academic, industry, and patient stakeholder groups to see how the agency can encourage research and product licencing in this underserved area. The MHRA remains focused on enabling safe access to innovative treatment as rapidly as possible.

The Government supports the Rare Cancers Bill and its ambitions to incentivise clinical trials and access to innovative treatments for rare cancers, including brain tumours. As such, the Department has worked closely with the MHRA during the passage of this bill.

NICE makes recommendations on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing, and the NHS in England is required to fund NICE recommended medicines. NICE is currently developing technology appraisal guidance for relevant brain cancer therapies.

Found: Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill Rare Cancers Bill

Less Survivable Cancers APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: The National Cancer Plan and Rare Cancers Bill offer a pivotal moment to strengthen these efforts going