Policy and influence
We help decision makers turn evidence into action.
By combining robust evidence with leading expertise, we help government, the NHS and partners across the health ecosystem tackle complex challenges and make better informed decisions.
Our work strengthens the conditions for medical science to thrive and helps ensure scientific advances deliver real benefits for patients, communities, and society.
We work directly with people who have the power to make change, often at an early stage of shaping policy. We address current and new risks to health, and challenge the thinking on how to tackle them, based on our expertise and insight.
The result is policy that is better informed and leads to stronger health outcomes in the UK and beyond.
Our policy priorities
We focus on three areas where policy can unlock the greatest impact from medical science:
- Research policy: We help ensure the UK remains globally competitive for discovery, innovation, and clinical research.
- Transforming health outcomes: We help scientific advances to reach patients and communities faster, more effectively and more fairly.
- Valuing medical science: We help ensure medical science is recognised as a national strength that must be protected, nurtured and used in decision making.
Forum
Through our Forum, we bring together leaders from across research, healthcare, industry, government and beyond to explore the issues shaping health and medical science.
As the Academy's cross-sector membership network, Forum connects organisations and expertise from across the system to share insight, test ideas and explore complex challenges from multiple perspectives.
For policymakers and policy professionals, Forum offers access to expert insight, diverse perspectives and a trusted, independent space for discussion, helping to inform policy, strategy and decision-making.
Impact
Our work helps shape policy, strengthen the research environment and improve health outcomes. Read examples of the ways we make a difference:
Informing fluoridation policy
Our systematic review of evidence informed government decisions on the amount of fluoride in our water.
Read our water fluoridation evidence review
Improving child health
Our early childhood report helped shape national debate, was discussed in the House of Lords and informed government thinking.
Read our report on prioritising early childhood
Strengthening UK health research
Our report on future-proofing health research in the UK strengthened momentum to reform the health research ecosystem and helped focus debate on how it needs to evolve.
Read our future-proofing UK health research report
Preparing the country for COVID-19
At the request of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, we published two reports that set out priorities for safeguarding the heatlh and wellbeing of the UK population in the face of COVID-19. These influenced parliamentary debate and were cited in Prime Minister's Questions.
Read our report on preparing for a challenging winter 2020/2021
Reforming clinical research regulation
Our work contributed to major reforms in how clinical research is regulated in the UK, including the creation of the Health Research Authority.
Read our report on regulation and governance of UK health research
Gita Khalili Moghaddam, FLIER leadership programme participant; Principal Investigator, Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge; Royal Society Industry Fellow, GSK Global Health
The Academy is doing a fantastic job bridging the gap between policymakers and the real world, bringing evidence together to form the big picture. I doubt anyone else could do it.
Gita Khalili Moghaddam
Dr Julia Wilson, FLIER and Associate Director, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge
The Academy of Medical Sciences has been great, and I'm now part of the family. I've been introduced to many other aspects of the Academy's work. I've taken part in debates on equitable collaborations, and worked with the policy team shaping asks to government. And the mentoring programme is a fantastic asset.
Dr Julia Wilson