Patients at an east London hospital can get access to new medications that could lead to life-changing health improvements after a specialist pharmacy opened on-site.
The Clinical Trials Pharmacy, recently unveiled at Newham Hospital, is equipped to support the delivery of emerging medicines and cutting-edge studies on-site.
Stuart Chandler, lead pharmacist for clinical trials at Barts Health NHS Trust, said: "By opening the pharmacy and allowing more trials at Newham, it gives more patients more choice about their treatment.
"Being part of a clinical trial can be daunting but reducing the burden by offering local access will make a huge difference to their experience."
Before the opening of the new facility, many patients in Newham had to travel to other hospitals or NHS trusts to participate in clinical trials, limiting access to advanced therapies.
One clinical trial currently running at The Royal London Hospital focuses on treating liver disease, and Newham patients will now be able to take part more easily.
Dr Hal Brindley, sub-investigator and consultant hepatologist and GI endoscopist at Newham Hospital, said: "This facility significantly expands our capacity to deliver cutting-edge medicines to a community that has historically faced barriers to trial participation.
"By bringing these resources on-site, we are entering an exciting new era of clinical excellence, ensuring our patients have direct access to the most advanced treatments available."
Barts Health is among the most research-active NHS trusts in the country.
In 2024/25, patient participation in clinical trials rose by more than a third to 31,718 – making Barts Health the fourth largest national recruiter for publicly funded studies.
It is also the top NHS recruiter to commercial drug trials, with 739 participants during the same year.
Dr Jenny Rivers, director of research and development at Barts Health NHS Trust, said: "The establishment of the Clinical Trials Pharmacy at Newham is just one of the necessary investments we’re making to ensure that our clinical teams based at Newham can lead these projects and ensure more equitable access for the community of north east London."
The new pharmacy is part of a growing programme of investment.
It joins recent upgrades including a 3T MRI scanner and expanded research staff.
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