The cancer community must seize the opportunity of the National Cancer Plan
Cancer is a disease that touches us all, whether as patients, healthcare professionals, friends or family members, and is something that has had a profound impact on my career. My own healthcare story began in Ireland, where childhood asthma attacks meant regular visits from the family doctor. Those early experiences inspired my path into medicine, and my years in hospital cardiology left me marked by the lives lost, some preventable, some heartbreakingly unjust. Those memories fuel my conviction that we must always strive to do better.
Now, as both a physician and a pharmaceutical industry leader, I see the urgency and complexity of cancer care from both sides. Survival rates may be improving, and new therapies are emerging, but for patients cancer outcomes are still too often related to where you live, how fast the system moves, or whether you can access the latest innovation in time. With the government’s National Cancer Plan due for publication this autumn, we have an opportunity to fundamentally improve how we deliver innovation and access for cancer patients.1
We cannot afford more business as usual
In the past decade, cancer research has delivered remarkable advances. Yet, the UK still lags behind many comparable countries, with far too many patients waiting too long for a diagnosis or treatment.2 Over 3.1 million people were investigated for suspected cancer last year, and the numbers are only set to grow as our population ages.1 If we do not act, the gap between what is possible and what is delivered will only widen.
The forthcoming National Cancer Plan promises an NHS that is there when needed, fewer lives lost, and a fairer Britain. It rightly seeks to maximise opportunities presented by the latest technology and innovations.1
Transforming the clinical development model
One of the defining challenges of cancer research has long been protracted timelines. The journey from preclinical research to phase 3 trials is complex, taking about a decade with only approximately one in 10,000 compounds successfully completing the process.3,4 For patients facing aggressive or rare cancers, that is simply too long.
Encouragingly, the UK is taking tangible steps to address this. Recent government policy has set an ambitious target to reduce clinical trial set-up times from an average of 250 days to just 150 days by next year, with pilot programmes already demonstrating that trials can be launched in as little as ten weeks.5–7
From an industry perspective, these reforms are both welcome and necessary. Over recent years, we have found that coordinating clinical research activities including trial design and regulatory preparation and site engagement - within a single, integrated in-house team can meaningfully improve how resources are used, and decisions are made. By running clinical trials internally, applying digital tools and streamlining processes, we are reducing the time and cost associated with clinical development by as much as 30%, an impact seen particularly in early-phase and first-in-human studies.3
Direct collaboration with trial sites and investigators helps us respond more rapidly to challenges as they arise. Purpose-built technology platforms have supported more efficient data collection and document management, while close alignment between clinical operations and supply chain teams has further supported both speed and reliability. These advances are not only about improving operational efficiency, but about laying the groundwork for research that can adapt to diverse healthcare settings and patient needs.
Designing with access in mind
But efficiency cannot come at the cost of rigour. If we chase speed, but ignore access, we are simply moving the goalposts. The most innovative treatments are only as good as their ability to reach the patients who need them.
It is incumbent on industry to run trials that deliver broad access and reflect patient realities: inclusive of diverse populations, adaptable to different care settings, and designed with endpoints that matter in everyday life. Health Technology assessment methodologies need to be similarly fit for purpose, so that all parts of the system are pointing in the right direction. In my early career, I witnessed lives lost not only to disease, but to systemic limitations. That experience continues to shape how I view innovation today.
The UK’s National Cancer Plan rightly puts patients at the heart of its ambitions, with a focus on prevention, early diagnosis, and support for those living with and beyond cancer. In practice, this means the whole cancer community working in collaboration to address gaps in care.
For example, in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare blood cancer, we have collaborated with WM UK and clinicians to define “active monitoring” approaches that help make the traditional "watch and wait" period more proactive and supportive for patients. Our colleagues in Europe are applying the same principles to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, supporting better communication between doctors and their patients. These are small, but significant steps towards a culture that listens first and builds with patients, not just for them.
Digital isn’t optional. It’s the only way forward
I hope that the government’s “analogue to digital” shift, as outlined in its 10 Year Health Plan, will quickly bear fruit and unlock the NHS app’s huge potential as the single front door to the NHS and a direct link to clinical trials.8 But technology is only as good as its reach. If digital transformation does not benefit every patient, everywhere, it risks deepening the equity gap.
In our experience, using data and analytics to identify geographic variations in care, trial participation, and patient outcomes can help target improvements more precisely. Additionally, real-time decision-making enabled by clinical operations technology can reduce turnaround times for compassionate use programmes and bring medicines to patients within days, not weeks.
Looking ahead: The National Cancer Plan and beyond
The stakes could not be higher. Cancer incidence is rising, the system is under strain, and the need for rapid, equitable innovation has never been greater. The UK should aspire to be among the top tier of countries where cancer research takes place and where cancer patients are at the front of the queue for innovative treatments and care.
As we look ahead to the publication of the National Cancer Plan, I would urge all stakeholders- healthcare professionals, policymakers, industry leaders, and patient advocates to seize this moment. Let us build a system where speed and quality are not trade-offs, but complementary aims; where patient voices are heard at every stage; and where access to life-changing innovation is not a privilege, but a right.
The story of cancer care in the 21st century is still being written. Together, we can ensure it is one of progress, partnership, and hope.
References
1 GOV.UK. Shaping the national cancer plan. https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-planAccessed August 2025.
2 Cancer Research UK. How does cancer treatment in the UK measure up to other countries? https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/02/27/how-does-cancer-treatment-in-the-uk-measure-up/Accessed August 2025.
3 Financial Times. Faster breakthroughs, broader access: a new cancer innovation model. https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/beone-medicines/faster-breakthroughs-broader-access-a-new-cancer-innovation-model.htmlAccessed August 2025.
4 Hardman TC, et al. Drugs Context. 2023;12:2023-2-2.
5 GOV.UK. Transforming the UK clinical research system: August 2025 update. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-the-uk-clinical-research-system-august-2025-update/transforming-the-uk-clinical-research-system-august-2025-updateAccessed August 2025.
6 UK aims to slash clinical trials set-up time from 9 months to 10 weeks. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/919ddaa0-7983-4ed0-9d8b-cb89810f2eca Accessed August 2025.
7 Pharmacy Assurance Pilot: Streamlining Study Setup in Early-Phase Oncology Trials. https://ecmcnetwork.org.uk/news/announcement/pharmacy-assurance-pilot Accessed August 2025.
8 GOV.UK. Unprecedented boost for clinical trials under 10 Year Health Plan. Available online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/unprecedented-boost-for-clinical-trials-under-10-year-health-plan Accessed August 2025.
About the author
Dr Robert (Bobby) Mulrooney is a board-level pharmaceutical executive and the UK & Ireland lead at BeOne Medicines. He drives the mission to make innovative cancer medicines affordable and accessible for patients. With over 30 years in hospital medicine, pharmaceutical R&D, and commercial leadership, Mulrooney brings a rare, end‑to‑end perspective on biopharma innovation from hospital bedside to boardroom. A GMC‑registered physician and dual Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, Mulrooney began his career in hospital medicine and cardiology before moving into global R&D and Medical Affairs. His scientific grounding and passion for patient‑centred innovation have shaped a career dedicated to delivering high‑impact therapies in oncology and rare disease.
