The upcoming Outsourcing in Clinical Trials UK & Ireland 2026 conference, taking place on 9–10 June 2026 in London, UK, will bring together leading clinical operations professionals, regulators, and patient advocates to examine the evolving clinical trials landscape in the two countries.
This year’s meeting will have a particular focus on regulatory transformation, oncology innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and strategic partnerships shaping the future of clinical research in the UK and Ireland.
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The conference will commence with GlobalData’s strategic overview of the UK clinical trials industry, by Dr Julie Munch Khan, Chief Commercial Officer at Deallus. The opening keynote presentation from James Pound, Executive Director Innovation and Compliance at the MHRA, will explore the new UK clinical trials regulations coming into force in April 2026, and the early implementation of MHRA guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) use in clinical trials.
Following the morning networking break, the meeting will be divided into three streams focusing on the following topics; the UK Clinical Trial Landscape and Strategy (Stream A), Clinical Technology and Innovation (Stream B), and Clinical Trials in Oncology (Stream C). The Clinical Trial Landscape and Strategy (Stream A) will feature discussions on whether the UK can achieve the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)’s ambitious 150-day activation standard, strategic partnerships, clinical trial optimisation, decentralised trials and include a case study of a novel gene therapy in childhood dementia.
Meanwhile, Stream B will examine how AI and real-world data are reshaping clinical trials through presentations on the application of AI tools in recruitment and monitoring and the regulatory landscape for AI and software technologies in the UK and Ireland, alongside practical demonstrations of digital display labels in clinical trial operations.
The first day will conclude with three panel discussions examining some of the sector’s most pressing operational challenges. While Stream A will focus on maximising site productivity through investment in infrastructure, workforce and digital systems, Stream B will explore how AI and automation are redefining the future role of clinical trial professionals. Simultaneously, Stream C will examine strategies to improve oncology patient recruitment through clearer communication, and broader referral pathways.
Day two will open with a keynote presentation from Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, who will examine how the UK clinical trials environment is evolving following the implementation of the new UK clinical trial regulations in April 2026. The keynote will explore how AI is reshaping clinical trial design, while also highlighting the importance of collaboration between regulators, industry, and the NHS in strengthening the UK’s global position as a clinical research destination.
Collaboration and national alignment will remain a central theme throughout the day. A dedicated session delivered by an expert from Cancer Trials Ireland will explore how Ireland’s unified clinical trial ecosystem is driving growth and cross-border innovation while addressing opportunities for closer UK and Ireland alignment post-Brexit and expansion of clinical trial activity into Northern Ireland with a smoother system across jurisdictions.
The two-day event will conclude with a series of interactive roundtable discussions on topics such as eTMF systems, patient engagement and retention strategies, and the FAST-EU initiative.
The Outsourcing in Clinical Trials UK & Ireland 2026 conference is hosted by Arena International Events Group, a B2B events company owned by GlobalData, the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena and Pharmaceutical Technology. The conference agenda can be found here.
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