Medical research policy

We're working to ensure there is a strong medical research policy environment in the UK.

Use of patient data in research

Patient records are a vital resource for health research. In England, changes are being made to the way that the NHS stores patient information to improve care and research, while protecting each person's confidentiality. Arthritis Research UK is joining up with other leading medical research organisations explain how the use of patient data can help to save and improve lives. See more on sharing your patient record.

Arthritis Research is supporting work to ensure that proposed European regulations on data protection maintain individual rights to confidentiality, but do not inhibit health research.

Download our joint statement Joint statement on the EU Data Protection Regulation Jan 2014 (PDF 600kb).

Use of animals in research

Read our policy on the use of animals in research. We've also signed a declaration (PDF 970 KB) to encourage openness about the use of animals in research.

Clinical trials

We're committed to increasing support for clinical research and we're supporting work to improve European regulations for clinical trials.

Download our joint statement (PDF 697 KB).

Charity policy

We're working in partnership to ensure that there is a supportive charity policy environment in the UK.

Exemptions for charitable donations in tax relief

We supported the charity sector's campaign to make charitable donations exempt from the government's proposed cap on personal tax relief.

Read our joint letter (PDF 176 KB).

Back Britain’s charities

We support the National Council for Voluntary Organisations' campaign to protect and secure Britain’s charities and ensure that they can carry on their essential work.