Cancer Research UK – Policy for research involving the recruitment of human participants

Published: July 2026

Summary

Enhancing inclusive research design and delivery is a key element of Cancer Research UK’s strategic approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. It is committed to improving equity of access to research and ensuring that research participants better reflect the diversity of those affected by cancer. To start making a difference in this area, Cancer Research UK is making changes to its processes and expectations as a funder, including the development of its policy for research involving the recruitment of human participants.

Background

In 2025, Cancer Research UK published a refreshed equality, diversity and inclusion in research strategic approach for 2025-2030. Part of the overarching priority to address cancer inequalities is ensuring that participants in research funded by Cancer Research UK better reflect the diversity of people affected by cancer, with a focus on enhancing inclusion in research design and delivery. As part of these ambitions, the charity recently undertook work to update its policy for research involving the recruitment of human participants.

Action

In order to establish the appropriate expectations for its funded studies, Cancer Research UK conducted in-depth consultations with both researchers and people affected by cancer from underserved groups.

For the patient-facing consultations, the team engaged with multiple patient advocacy groups representing under-served communities, as well as inviting patients and members of the public from their Involvement Network to contribute individually. The responses enabled the team to understand the barriers that underserved groups face in accessing cancer research, and what they want to see from the design and delivery of research studies to address these.

This was supported by a researcher-facing consultation. The team engaged with Cancer Research UK’s research community to identify changes to trial design, development and delivery that could improve equity of access and align with the suggestions of the patient-facing consultation.

Impact

The combination of results from the two consultations paved the way for Cancer Research UK’s policy for research involving human participants. This broad policy outlines expectations for the governance, design and delivery of all funded clinical studies, and outlines expectations around the inclusion of people from under-served groups through the identification and removal of barriers to both participation and involvement in research.

A key barrier identified by the community-facing consultation was the ‘hidden’ costs of participating in a clinical trial: particularly from travelling to and from trial sites. To ensure that patient travel is less of a barrier to those considering a Cancer Research UK-funded trial, whilst supporting researchers to meet these new expectations, research teams are now able to apply for funding to cover patient travel.

To further embed the expectations outlined in the policy, Cancer Research UK has added questions to their clinical research funding scheme application forms. Research teams who apply must now outline how they are making their research more inclusive and reducing barriers to access. Funding committees and panels are also more empowered to challenge funding applicants, ensuring their steps to reduce barriers to access for under-served populations are meaningful and impactful.

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