Making new medicines is complicated and incredibly complex

It costs billions of pounds and can take decades. 01 Failures are an inevitable part of the discovery and development process; however, successes can change the lives of patients, improve their care and potentially save lives.

Every medicine starts with a question: how can we help people live better lives? Discover the steps involved in making a medicine, from understanding disease and identifying potential treatments to clinical trials, approval and ongoing monitoring.

Close-up of a male hand holding a series of medication blister packs.

From discovery to helping people live better 

Developing a new medicine takes time, care and collaboration. It can take 10 to 15 years, with each step focused on understanding disease, ensuring safety and, ultimately, improving patients’ lives. 01

From research to treatment 

Scientists use pre-clinical models to understand human biology, identify potential targets for medicines and test therapeutic candidates, with the resulting data helping to determine which candidates progress to clinical trials. 02

Promising candidates are then developed into medicines people can use in everyday life, such as tablets, inhalers or creams – with a focus on safety, effectiveness and practical use. 

Testing and approval 

Before a medicine can be used, it is studied extensively. Early-stage research assesses safety, followed by clinical trials with volunteers and patients to understand how the medicine works in people. 

In the UK, medicines are independently reviewed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Further assessment considers how well they work and their value for use within the NHS. 

Making a difference for patients 

Once approved, medicines can be made available to patients – the point where years of research begin to make a real difference. 
Monitoring continues after approval to ensure medicines remain safe and effective in everyday use, and to keep learning from patient experience. 01

Ongoing learning 

Monitoring continues after approval to understand long-term safety and how medicines perform in real-world use. This helps ensure treatments continue to meet patient needs over time. 

Why it matters 

Developing a single medicine can involve thousands of people and significant investment. Every step is focused on one goal – improving health and supporting people to live better lives. 01