Trials for people from outside the UK

This page is about access to UK clinical trials if you are from overseas. There is information about

International trials

We have a database of UK clinical trials, but some of the trials listed are international. If a suitable trial is taking place in your country, it is best to try and join it there.

Some trials take place in many countries because they can recruit the patients more quickly that way. This is particularly important for rare cancers.

You could try looking at overseas trial information databases. These include:

The NCI trials database in the USA
The European Organisation for Research and Trials in Cancer (EORTC), which runs trials across Europe
EU clinical trials register, which gives information about studies in Europe

The information on these sites is often written in a medical way, but they tell you which trials are running. You will need to speak to your own doctor if you find a trial that you think may be suitable for you.

Joining UK trials from overseas

It is sometimes possible for patients from other countries to take part in clinical trials in the UK, but it can be very difficult.

People on cancer trials in the UK are nearly always having treatment funded by our National Health Service (NHS). Generally, you can only be treated on the NHS if you are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK.

Being ‘ordinarily resident’ means you are in the UK legally and living in the UK is part of your normal life for the time being. This can be for the short or the long term. People can be ordinarily resident in more than one country at the same time.

Exactly what you are entitled to varies depending on the country you have come from. There is more information about how to access NHS care on the NHS website.

If you are not a UK resident you would need private health insurance or your own funding. Insurance companies are often not prepared to pay for treatments that are still being tested in trials.

You may find it useful to read our information about coming to the UK for treatment.

Private treatment

Most people from overseas will need to pay for their own treatment, or do this via private health insurance. And some UK residents choose to pay privately for treatment or have private health insurance.

People can pay for private treatment, but this is usually very expensive. The drugs used in clinical trials are often supplied free, but other costs need to be met by the hospital taking part in the trial. This includes the costs of:

any tests you need to have during the trial
equipment used to give the treatment
a hospital stay if you have treatment as an inpatient
private consultations with a cancer specialist

Extra costs

Bear in mind that the cost you would need to pay to take part in a trial is only an estimate. There could be added costs for any treatment you may need. For example, you might need treatment to help with side effects from the trial treatment.

People taking part in clinical trials need regular check ups with the trial doctor. So you may have to stay in the UK for some time.

Unless you have friends or relatives you can stay with, you would need to pay for accommodation. The accommodation would ideally be near the hospital where the clinical trial is going on. It can be very expensive as you may need to stay in the country for a few weeks or even months.

Qualifying to join a trial from overseas

Joining a clinical trial may not be a suitable option if your health is very poor. But if you feel strongly that a trial listed on our database is suitable for you, we suggest you talk to your own doctors. If they agree, they can contact the trial doctor in the UK and discuss the possibility of you joining the trial.

The decision about whether you can join a trial depends on: