MRC influence on policy
Overview
The policies adopted by Government and key stakeholder organisations at local, national and international level can have profound impacts on the economy and on health. One of the best known impacts arising from medical research is the implementation of national bans on smoking in public places. It is widely acknowledged that these policy changes arose in part as a consequence of research linking smoking to cancer, and subsequent evidence about the health impact of passive smoking built up over 50 years (see Achievements and Impacts section on smoking).
The MRC is interested in capturing information about the ways in which MRC research influences changes in policy, and MRC e-Val seeks information about the involvement that MRC researchers have had in various policy setting processes (such as membership of guideline committees). The MRC is also interested in the extent to which MRC research is influencing policy now and in the future, and MRC e-Val seeks information on the inclusion of findings from MRC research in key policy documents (such as NICE clinical guidelines and reports of Government consultations).
The results from the 2009 survey have allowed a number of case studies to be compiled which illustrate the routes to influencing policy and the extent to which MRC research has informed new policies. Importantly these can be set in the context of an overall picture of the extent to which all MRC research is influencing policy setting, and progress can be followed over time.
What did we find?
A total of 928 outputs were captured by MRC e-Val in Section 6, which focuses on capturing the way in which MRC research has influenced policy. A broad view of policy was taken, which included influences on the setting up or development of training programmes, involvement in other processes which set national or international policies of note, or citation in policy documents.
Involvement in a policy-setting process
These outputs included examples of where researchers have directly become involved in a policy setting or advisory process, which might for example be evidenced by membership of a committee or advisory body.
The main type of output reported in MRC e-Val in this section was a researcher being part of a National Advisory Committee (239 outputs, representing a quarter of the total). These 239 outputs were entered by 127 different PIs. They were related to a wide variety of different committees and boards, from a wide variety of organisations. The most common organisations reported were NICE (10 outputs), UK Department of Health (10 outputs), World Health Organisation (8 outputs) and BBSRC (6 outputs).
Examples of policy impacts
Impact |
More information |
Link to MRC Research |
Martin Dennis, Edinburgh – findings of the CLOTS trial; stockings not effective at preventing venous thromboembolism - impact on NICE and international clinical guidelines and treatment affecting approximately 80,000 people a year in the UK. |
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Paresh Vyas, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit (British Journal of Haematology paper) recommended newborns with Down’s Syndrome should have a full blood count to screen for a preleukaemic condition – now most do (approximately 750 each year in the UK). |
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Simon Thompson, MRC Biostatistics Unit, helped to develop the basis for the UK national screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). AAAs affect 4% of men aged 65-74 (approximately 80,000). |
Ultrasound screening of abdominal aortic aneurysm reduces deaths |
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Ray Waters, University of Cardiff, is deputy chair of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) - which has advised on the risks of sunbeds and made recommendations regarding legislation for the use of sun parlours – the misuse of which is estimated to lead to 100 additional deaths a year from skin cancer in the UK. |
COMARE Thirteenth Report “The health effects and risks arising from exposure to ultraviolet radiation from artificial tanning devices”. Health Protection Agency (June 2009). |
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Professor Nick Fox (MRC Senior Clinical Fellow, UCL), used techniques that he developed for registration-based atrophy measurements from serial MRI to show that rates of cerebral atrophy predict conversion to Alzheimer’s disease from mild cognitive impairment and that the rates of atrophy correlate with clinical decline. Professor Fox has advised both the EMEA and NIH on the use of imaging in dementia and trials. In the US this has led to establishing the $16 million Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network (DIAN) |
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Professor Robert Howard (MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Kings College) participated in the Department of Health Review of use of antipsychotic drugs in dementia and was cited in clinical reviews of the topic. The Government’s acceptance of the recommendations of this report was aimed at reducing the use of these drugs in dementia conservatively estimated to cause 1,800 extra deaths and 820 extra serious adverse events each year. |
The use of antipsychotic medication for people with dementia: Time for action. |
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Professor Ian McKeith (MRC Research grant holder, Newcastle University) has contributed to the NICE guidelines on Dementia. Professor McKeith’s group has published internationally adopted guidelines on the clinical and pathological diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies and its clinical management. The most recent revision (2006) is in global use and will be used for the revisions of International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). |
Written up and published as part of a showcase of successes from MRC experimental medicine research |
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MRC scientists demonstrated that a lower total dose of radiotherapy, delivered in fewer, larger treatments was as effective as the international standard of a higher total dose delivered over a longer time to treat women with early stage breast cancer [START Trial - Standardisation of Breast RadioTherapy. Results of the START Trial B study are published in the Lancet (2008 March 29; 371(9618): 1098–1107) and results of the START Trial A study are published in Lancet Oncology (Volume 9, Issue 4, Pages 331 - 341, April 2008)]. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in England, and the second most common cause of death from cancer for women. In 2005 over 38,000 new cases of breast cancer were identified. This work has provided valuable evidence to help refine the treatment for these patients. |
Shorter radiotherapy courses can benefit breast cancer patients. Since the START results were published, in March 2008, the Royal Marsden Hospital has changed from the current five-week regimen to a three-week schedule for most of its breast cancer patients. The same regimen is currently prescribed to the majority of British women, and the trial is likely to influence practices overseas. [A good START for breast radiotherapy] |