August 2012: The MHRA has launched a 12-week public consultation on proposals to launch an Early Access to Medicines scheme. This consultation is a key part of the Government’s commitment to growing the UK’s life sciences sector and economy. Under the scheme, the MHRA would provide a scientific opinion on the benefits and risks of medicines. This would assist the NHS in making decisions about making medicines available for patients with life threatening, chronic or debilitating conditions. The MHRA expects that in most cases the scheme would be available for medicines at the end of Phase 3 trials although in exceptional cases it could apply to medicines at an earlier stage of development such as the end of Phase 2. Comments are due by 5 October 2012 with a view to implementation of the scheme by the end of the year.