News and Blog

A new app which detects early signs of kidney failure is now being used to improve care for some of the Royal Free’s most vulnerable patients. Using an instant alert system, the app, known as Streams, directs...

This week the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust announced a partnership between itself and DeepMind to work together to develop a mobile clinical application called Streams. Please click this article for the whole press release from the Royal Free.

Empower looks forward to seeing the Access to Medical Treatments Bill continue its journey through the Commons tomorrow – and continue it must!

Jack Scannell, friend to the Empower: Access to Medicine campaign, enters a debate in the British Medical Journal on patients wanting faster access to treatment and perceived motivations of the drug industry.

Empower: Access to Medicine is very proud to have been published in a recent collection of essays that featured in Bentham Science.

Here is the foreword from Professor Sir Peter Lachmann, an adviser to Empower, laying out the scope of the collection.

Empower: Access to Medicine releases its latest report examining the Early Access to Medicines Scheme a year on from its launch. 

George Freeman, life sciences minister, has pledged to create a “lit runway” for new drugs and devices from clinical trials through to adoption in the NHS that would “make Britain the best place in the world to get quicker access for patients to innovative medicines”.

Health Minister, Earl Howe, delivered a keynote speech at Empower’s Parliamentary reception on 25th March 2014. Here’s his speech in full.

Patient organisations believe that their voice and engagement would make major, positive changes to priorities at several stages in the medical innovation process.

It’s a huge day for Empower: Access to Medicine as the Government have now committed to an Early Access Scheme adopting many of the measures proposed by Empower. There are challenges ahead, but this is a huge step on the road to progress for patients!

The latest newsletter from the Empower: Access to Medicine campaign.

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Les' local MP, has wirtten an obituary for the Guardian website.

We are saddened to announce that Les Halpin has passed away, aged 56.

If you would like to donate to the campaign please transfer your donation to Empower using the following details:

Account number: 63486087
Sort: 20-65-82
Reference: 33879/1

Cheques can also be made payable to Empower: Access to Medicine

Empower: Access to Medicine supports Lord Saatchi's Medical Innovation Bill

Empower: Access to Medicine will be releasing its first policy report looking at the barriers to drug development.

The latest newsletter from Access to Medicine founder, Les Halpin.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support this year; I have been truly overwhelmed by how much progress the campaign has made. The last month has been particularly busy for us and I would like to share with you some highlights.

The issue of slow drug development and lack of approvals for new medicines, particularly in neurology, was recently raised in parliament. CASMI’s support for The Empower: Access to Medicine campaign was announced and we will continue to strive towards creating a more productive environment for new treatments for neglected diseases.

20 November 2012, House of Lords: Baroness Masham of Ilton debated the lack of drug development for patients with rare or life-threatening conditions in a Parliamentary debate. She referred to the Empower AtM campaign and asked the Government what it will be doing to speed up the drug development process.

Patients with rare, life threatening genetic conditions should be given greater powers to take part in clinical trials and have earlier access to medicines, according to a new campaign launched in the UK.