News and Insights

Prix Galien UK Forum 2025: Shaping Health, Life Sciences and Regulation

July 14, 2025

In the beating heart of London’s science and research establishment, clinical experts, life science innovators and regulators met to discuss the most important issues shaping health and care right now.

South Kensington’s Exhibition Road, replete with world-famous museums and globally recognised research universities, makes it the ideal venue for the annual #PrixGalien* UK Forum and Awards, a gathering of some of the world’s leading life science innovators and clinicians, proudly supported by FINN Partners.

The event saw a select group of regulators and leading lights from the worlds of medicine, life sciences, medical technology and clinical research converge on the Science Museum to hear thought-provoking talks and agenda-setting debates on the biggest issues shaping health and care innovation in the UK.

The Forum was privileged to hear from both the current Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and his immediate predecessor, setting the stage for insightful discussions on the state of both the NHS and the research and commercial environment for innovative therapies.

State of the Nation: Regulatory Vision and NHS Realities

Newly-installed in the post, Lawrence Tallon, gave an impactful ‘state of the nation’ address on how the UK’s health and care systems are faring today and the role that the MHRA can play in accelerating approval of safe, innovative treatments that meet the needs of patients today.

Earlier in the day his immediate predecessor, and the leader who played a crucial role in the delivery of the UK’s widely praised Covid vaccine rollout, Dame June Raine, chaired an optimistic panel session on breakthrough therapies for ultra-rare diseases.

Dame June, who is also a 2025 Prix Galien UK Committee member, brought together experts from the US FDA, the ABPI, the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre and the European Organisation for Rare Diseases. The discussion concluded that the UK has the building blocks in place to overcome the challenges to ensuring therapies are in reach for those with ultra-rare disease. But they added that success requires global collaboration – and time.

Obesity, Innovation and Inequality: A Balancing Act

Elsewhere, the Forum heard from experts on the impact and inequalities arising from the use of GLP-1 based therapies to treat obesity across the UK. While these much-publicised medicines have transformed diabetes management, the high cost of these treatments are widening health inequalities, particularly due to the structural barriers to wider NHS-funded adoption.

The wide-ranging panel discussion on advancements in the way obesity and its co-morbidities can be treated heard from Prof. Rachel Batterham OBE (SVP International Medical Affairs at Eli Lilly), Prof. Melanie Davies CBE (Professor of Diabetes Medicine, University of Leicester) and Vicki Mooney (Exec Director, European Coalition for People living with Obesity).

Plaudits to Shifra Power, Kara Bradley and Madison Steilen for their stellar management of such an interesting event.

Watch high-definition video recordings of the talks from the event and learn more about the winners of the evening’s Prix Galien UK Awards 2025 and The Galien Foundation’s fantastic work in fostering excellence in scientific innovation that improves the state of human health. https://bit.ly/4jQziFP  

For more insights on health communications, visit the FINN Partners Health Sector. 

*Prix Galien is a valued client of FINN Partners.