The NIHR's Clinical Research Network (CRN) supported 1,580 commercial studies in 2019/20  – marking the highest number on record, achieved despite the changing research landscape and Brexit uncertainties”.

The Network said it recruited 28,832 participants into 1,166 of these studies and, with CRN support, that 70% of commercial studies recruited participants to time and target in 2019/20.

Also of note, a total of 732,176 participants took part in studies supported by the Network, the largest portion of participants in NIHR research, and with CRN support, 87% of non-commercial studies both recruited the required number of participants and did so within the project time, also reflecting the best results to date.

The number of studies being supported by the NIHR CRN remained high in 2019/20.  2,103 new studies were accepted onto the NIHR CRN portfolio - taking the total number of studies receiving support to 6,052 - the second-highest on record.

“I am delighted to see strong results of research delivery, reflecting the tremendous amount of work from many different staff based throughout our entire regional networks and in all healthcare settings,” said NIHR CRN chief executive, Dr William van’t Hoff. “The NIHR CRN is truly showing its reach and opportunity to help researchers and patients across the whole country.”