France is strengthening support for University Hospital Institutes (IHUs) and introducing measures to accelerate access to innovative treatments, while enhancing the country’s competitiveness and attractiveness in clinical research.
During a visit to the Paris Brain Institute, Ministers Stéphanie Rist, Philippe Baptiste and Sébastien Martin reviewed the performance of the first wave of University Hospital Institutes (IHUs), 15 years after their creation. They reaffirmed the relevance and value of the IHU model, as well as its contribution to the international standing of French biomedical research.
IHUs are characterised by excellence in fundamental research, clearly identified scientific priorities, the ability to commercialise and transfer discoveries, and a proactive policy of attracting talent.
The IHUs will continue to receive support through the France 2030 programme, with €45 million allocated over the next three years. To ensure that every euro invested has the greatest possible impact on science, the economy and the health of citizens, funding for certain IHUs will be conditional on the achievement of specific objectives.
During the same visit to the clinical investigation centre of the Paris Brain Institute and the Paris Public Hospitals (AP-HP), Ministers Stéphanie Rist, Philippe Baptiste and Sébastien Martin announced a series of significant measures to improve France’s competitiveness in clinical research.
Clinical research is not an end in itself; its application and outcomes are what ultimately matter.
The measures follow several months of unprecedented consultation led by the Health Innovation Agency, involving all stakeholders in clinical research, including sponsors, hospitals, industry and government agencies. The aim is to significantly accelerate every stage of the process, from authorisation and contracting to patient recruitment and data analysis.
Regarding clinical research authorisations, the ANSM will strengthen its support for project leaders before the submission of authorisation applications through its Innovation and Guidance Desk.
The ANSM is also implementing an accelerated, or fast-track, procedure to authorise the launch of early-phase trials in just 14 days, compared with 106 days currently.
The management and operation of the Ethics Committees (CPP) and the CNRIPH will also be strengthened, both to harmonise practices and enable project leaders to better anticipate their requirements, and to allow the use of artificial intelligence tools and new clinical research methodologies.
Regarding contractual arrangements, incentive measures will be proposed to reduce the time required to sign agreements between manufacturers and centres, thereby accelerating the effective launch of clinical trials within healthcare facilities.
Regarding recruitment, the decentralisation of clinical research will allow patients to be monitored outside hospital settings, facilitating the recruitment of patients located far from major research centres and contributing to greater equality of opportunity.
The implementation of electronic consent will facilitate the effective inclusion of patients in trials and enable them to access innovative treatments more quickly.
Finally, regarding data analysis, artificial intelligence tools, combined with the massive increase in health data, are enabling the development of new clinical research methodologies that have the potential to accelerate the generation of clinical evidence.
The work carried out in this area since 2024, through the AIS-ANR-FCRIN call for expressions of interest, aims to assess the level of evidence for these tools so that they can be used in routine practice.
These measures, developed collaboratively with all stakeholders and led by the interministerial body, aim to accelerate all stages of clinical research and enhance its attractiveness, with the objective of positioning France at the forefront of leading countries in this field in Europe.
Their implementation will be overseen by the new Directorate General for Research, Innovation and Digital Health, headed by Ms Lise Alter.
The support for the IHUs and this plan respond to the ambition of making France a leading nation in clinical research, competitive, attractive, and capable of offering patients faster access to the innovations they need.
Stéphanie Rist, Minister of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities
Today we have all the ingredients for success: top-level researchers, solid institutions, excellent infrastructure, and innovative companies. This is the purpose of the renewed support for the IHUs and the measures announced today for clinical research.
Philippe Baptiste, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space
