The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has unveiled a new corporate plan that aims to create a faster and more predictable regulatory environment.

The plan assigns the agency’s agenda to four key strategic priorities, which are further split into multiple milestones over a three-year span. This includes a focus on public trust, improved access to safe and effective products and the pursuit of new strategic partnerships, based on the 4 July announcement. 

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

As part of the corporate plan, the MHRA plans to create faster risk-proportionate regulatory pathways that will support innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cell therapy and vaccines, per a document detailing the plan.

In the first year, the MHRA aims to launch an improved regulatory management system that will streamline its services and increase the use of self-service. The agency also seeks to optimise service delivery times in priority areas in the second year. Finally, the regulator wants to change the regulation of generic medicines by building on pre-defined criteria to address new goals, such as by considering sustainable medicines through green chemistry, in the plan’s third year.

Additionally, the MHRA wants to pursue strategic partnerships to develop new regulatory practices. This will include the introduction of the MHRA Science Strategy that builds on national and international partnerships in priority areas during the plan’s first year. The agency plans to contribute to the UK’s pandemic preparedness by building on past experience from the Covid-19 pandemic between 2024 and 2025, which will also include further collaborations with international regulators on a sustainability strategy.

The plan’s emphasis on the maintenance of public trust features multiple initiatives, which include a pilot of public hearings on major safety issues that will take place in 2024 and 2025. Additionally, the MHRA aims to finish the Yellow Card biobank pilot, which was announced in May and is currently looking at two particular drug safety issues over two years. This will help in the development of a business model that will be rolled out for all medicines and vaccines to understand the role of genetics in causing adverse reactions.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The MHRA also wants to further develop its work and customer service culture as the plan’s fourth priority. This includes attracting new talent, as well as making the agency a more diverse and equal workplace.

Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
NorthWest EHealth has won three 2025 Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards for Innovation, Safety and Diversity. Explore how its ConneXon platform is transforming SAE reporting and real-time safety oversight, while FARSITE delivers socio-economically inclusive recruitment to boost trial efficiency, data integrity and regulatory-grade representativeness.

Discover the Impact