Recommendations from the National Clinical Trials Oversight Group (NCTOG) to support the expansion of clinical trials in Ireland were brought to Cabinet before the Dáil dissolved in advance of the election campaign.

A group of experts was established in July to develop recommendations to increase the number of commercial and non-commercial clinical trials of investigational medicinal products taking place in Ireland. The group has made the following recommendations which focus on steps in the set-up of clinical trials, under the specific headings of contract, costings, and data protection: A pre-arranged template for the contract itself which could be mandated and adopted as standard, along with key performance indicators around timelines and rates of approval; work be undertaken around cost standardisation, and adoption of a unified costing framework; and the development of a clear national policy, which it will now develop, to address the complex process of ensuring appropriate compliance with data protection regulations.