Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of Project Orbis.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been participating in Project Orbis since 1 January 2021. The Project has accelerated the pathway for patients in the United Kingdom for quicker access to innovative drugs including Osimertinib (Tagrisso), a post-surgery treatment for lung cancer.

The MHRA has been involved in 11 Orbis projects since January 2021 with several close to completion. The MHRA has processed these applications within significantly shortened timelines, liaising with the United States’ Food and Drug Administration and other regulators. Project Orbis will continue to provide patients in the UK with faster access to innovative cancer treatments with potential benefits over existing therapies.