Cancer Trials Ireland, the country’s leading cancer trials research organisation, has today released details of a report that estimates the State saved €6.5m in treatment costs through a sample of 38 cancer clinical trials, accessed by 230 patients between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026.
The Value of Cancer Trials 2 report, which follows on the first such report last year, also found that 20 of these trials resulted in inward investment of €6.76m by pharmaceutical companies.
When a patient enrols on a cancer clinical trial, the patient’s treatment costs such as medicines, imaging, blood and other tests, as well as biopsies and procedures, are generally paid for by the trial sponsor. Where this happens, there is no cost to the patient, their health insurer, or the State.
The estimated savings identified by the new report focuses on cost savings through the provision of medicines. The report also estimates the value of experimental medicines invested directly to the benefit of patients in Ireland, alongside estimated revenue to hospitals from ‘per patient’ drug trial payments by the trial sponsor (€10.5m). Furthermore, the report highlights how innovative radiotherapy trials and techniques generate value for the health system.
In a 12-month period Sept 1st, 2025 to Aug 31st, 2026, 3,938 patients took part in cancer trials, of which 702 were on interventional1 trials, including 423 on ‘drug’ trials. Right now, there are approximately 160 cancer trials open across Ireland, with lymphoma and haematology cancer trials being the most common, followed by genitourinary, breast and lung cancer trials.
The report highlights that, according to the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) Clinical Trials Activity Comparison Report 2026, 73 pharmaceutical industry-sponsored clinical trials across all disease areas opened in Ireland in 2025, compared with 51 in 2024 and 41 in 2023. This represents a 44% increase between 2024 and 2025.
Despite this growth, Ireland ranked 14th of 27 EU member states for industry-sponsored clinical trials per capita in 2025, improving from 18th in 2024. Countries such as Denmark continue to attract substantially more clinical trial activity.
National Survey of Public Attitudes (research undertaken July 2026)
The report was published as details of a new survey of attitudes to cancer trials found:
- Eight in ten (78%) would like to see more trials taking place in Ireland, up 10% since 2024, while two in ten (20%) know someone who has taken part in a clinical trial, up 5% since 2020
- Seven in ten (69%) would be willing to take part in a clinical trial, up 21% since 2020, with eight in ten (82%) willing to donate blood, two-thirds (64%) willing to donate tissue samples, three-quarters (76%) willing to participate in a non-drug trial, and a similar number “somewhat” or “very” willing to supply personal medical information for medical research if done in a confidential manner (74%)
- Of those willing to take part in at least one form of clinical research, the vast majority (75%) would do so to potentially help others get better treatment for their health issues in the future, with one in two (50%) doing so to improve their health and well-being, 44% to have a more active role in their healthcare if ill, 37% to access medical care and more frequent check-ups, 35% to have a longer life, and 32% to get access to new treatment for a disease before it’s available to everyone.
The representative survey of 1,000 people across Ireland took place in July 2026.
Virtuous Cycle
Speaking following the publication of the report, Prof. Seamus O’Reilly, Clinical Lead, Cancer Trials Ireland, said:
“We know that cancer clinical trials lead to improved patient outcomes. Patients have access to new drugs and treatments—otherwise unavailable—while at the same time benefiting from closer monitoring and enhanced care.
“The government providing funding for cancer clinical trials is an investment in the true sense of the word. Not only is there a return in terms of patients doing better and having early access to newer treatments. The State also benefits financially in that it obtains treatments that it would otherwise have to pay for, treatments that historically have improved cancer outcomes for its citizens. In addition, some trials work to identify patients who can safely receive less treatment, without compromising their outcomes, thus avoiding unnecessary treatment costs and making more effective use of available resources. Clinical trial availability leads to a virtuous cycle of benefit to patients, the health service and the economy.
“However, today we could be doing so much more to get more trials up and running here. In addition to tackling issues such as protected research time, security of tenure for research staff and the streamlining of processes, I think it is also key that the health service be given targets for trials. As clinicians, we have key performance indicators when it comes to seeing patients in a timely manner and getting them on treatment. We need that accountability to enable us to improve patient outcomes. Equally, our health system also needs a similar KPI to allow transparency regarding equity of access to trials, to enable us to identify barriers and facilitators to that access, and to emphasise to all stakeholders that clinical trials are an integral, outcome-improving aspect of cancer care and a necessary component of how we care for patients with cancer in Ireland.”
Missed Target
Angela Clayton-Lea, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland, added:
“The findings from our latest survey, the fourth in six years, point to ever-increasing public trust when it comes to cancer clinical trials as an essential part of improving patient care and advancing medical progress. Eight in ten would like to see more trials taking place, while seven in ten would be willing to take part in a clinical trial.
“The National Cancer Strategy sets a target of 6% of people diagnosed with cancer participating in clinical trials. In 2025, while 12.5% participated in cancer clinical research overall, including non-interventional studies, just 2.9% were enrolled on interventional trials—less than half the national target. In considering Ireland as an attractive destination for research, international trial sponsors assess the reliability and performance of our health system in the time taken to open trials.
“Improvements have been made when it comes to streamlining administrative issues such as contracting, governance, insurance, and site readiness, and there is more to do.
“The Value of Cancer Trials 2 report provides further evidence of the benefits of cancer trials, while highlighting opportunities yet to be realised. Our central message is clear: clinical trials must be recognised, resourced and embedded as an integral part of healthcare delivery.
“We look forward to upcoming changes within the Irish ecosystem which will strengthen Ireland’s position as a high-quality, high-trust destination for cancer clinical trials.”
To access a copy of the report, or for information on the cancer clinical trials taking place in Ireland, visit www.cancertrials.ie. To speak to a nurse in relation to cancer, call the Irish Cancer Society’s Nurseline on Freephone 1800 200 700.
ENDS
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