New medical technology, like drones for delivering vital supplies and smarter medical software using AI to help doctors spot diseases earlier, could reach the UK public faster through new funding to cut unnecessary red tape and keep pace with innovation.
The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund supports regulators in trialling new, more efficient ways of working that allow businesses to bring their innovations to market faster, in turn supporting economic growth.
The launch of the fourth round – worth £5.5m in total – builds on its previous phase, which supported 24 pioneering projects across the country, unlocking new opportunities in sectors like health, transport, and energy.
Supported projects include exploring safer ways for drones to fly in the same skies as other aircraft, which could contribute £45bn to the UK economy at its highest potential.
These trials have laid the groundwork for future drone deliveries and helped regulators keep up with new medical technology while ensuring people are protected and rules are clear and fair. Other projects include using realistic, computer-generated data to speed up the results of clinical trials, which could, in the future, help get new medical treatments out sooner.
Fourth round is now open to participants
The fourth round of Regulators’ Pioneer Fund is open to regulators and local authorities across the UK and will include projects in key growth areas such as medical technology, engineering biology, space, and connected and autonomous vehicles.
Projects might include smarter ways to test new treatments, manage the use of airspace for drones, or support technologies like lab-grown foods, helping ensure the rules are fit for purpose to bring innovations to market.
This latest round is now open to regulators and local authorities across the UK. It will support bold ideas that back some of the UK’s most promising growth sectors – including medical technology to support the NHS, engineered biology to improve food security, satellite tech to improve farming and climate tracking, and self-driving vehicles.
It’s part of the government’s Plan for Change to make the UK the best place to test and grow new ideas, while making life better for the public.
How the fund has advanced medical technology so far
Some of the innovative work delivered through the previous round of funding (RPF3) included:
- In Milton Keynes, funding helped local authorities trial drone deliveries for urgent medical technologies and environmental monitoring. This included exploring new ways to carry out low-risk test flights and sensors to track the drones’ path to safely test and approve these services, helping emergency responders and healthcare providers get what they need faster, while reducing emissions and traffic congestion.
- At the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), funding was used to explore the use of synthetic data in clinical trials, specifically through synthetic control arms, which use computer-generated data to replace some of the participants who would normally receive a placebo. This approach can make trials quicker, cheaper, and more inclusive, while still ensuring safety and effectiveness.
Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Smarter, more agile regulation is key to businesses bringing ideas to market faster, while giving the public confidence in new medical technologies.
“These projects show how regulators can work with industry to unlock breakthroughs – from autonomous drones improving emergency services, to AI that cuts the cost and time spent on clinical trials.”
He concluded: “By backing this kind of innovation, we’re helping to make the UK the best place in the world to launch, test and scale new ideas, and drive the economic growth we need to improve lives.”
