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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, senior figures from medicine, regulation, and life sciences met to discuss the most important issues shaping the future of healthcare.

Held at the Science Museum on South Kensington’s iconic Exhibition Road, home to world-famous museums and Imperial College London, the annual #PrixGalien UK Forum and Awards, proudly supported by FINN Partners, provides a platform for thought provoking discussion and cross sector collaboration on the biggest issues shaping health and care innovation globally. The event attracts a select group of regulators and leading lights from the worlds of medicine, life sciences, medical technology and clinical research.

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 future of regulation, the state of the NHS, and the research and commercial environment for innovative therapies.

State of the Nation: Regulatory Vision and NHS Realities

Lawrence Tallon, newly appointed Chief Executive of the MHRA, 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.

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

The Forum also 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 broadening access to these treatments may result in widening health inequalities.

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), Vicki Mooney (Exec Director, European Coalition for People living with Obesity) and Professor Simon Griffin, Professor of General Practice, Group Leader in the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge​.

The event was impeccably delivered by Shifra Power, Kara Bradley and Madison Steilen who were the stellar management team behind this prestigious 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

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