A UK government press release published on 14 October 2026 set out four steps intended to speed the route from research to treatment for people with brain cancer, following a Downing Street meeting that day between the Prime Minister, the Health Secretary and campaigner Archie Goodburn, a 25-year-old swimmer with inoperable brain cancer.

The steps were an immediate expert review led by Professor Anthony Chalmers, chair of the Brain Tumour Group within the UK Collaborative for Cancer Clinical Research, due to report within three months; a national action plan to follow; a new national brain cancer clinical lead appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care; and a request to the MHRA, the medicines regulator, to complete its review of rules for medicines treating rare conditions in two years rather than three.

Also announced were a drive to increase clinical trial participation, a roundtable hosted by the Health and Social Care Secretary, and a 2027 conference with Cancer Research UK. The release said the National Institute for Health and Care Research was supporting 59 brain tumour studies, including 35 clinical trials.