The government has announced an immediate expert review of brain cancer care and treatment.
The announcement comes after the Prime Minister and Health Secretary met campaigner Archie Goodburn, following his emotional plea on BBC Breakfast earlier this year.
The 25-year-old swimmer with inoperable brain cancer has been campaigning for faster progress on brain cancer.
The review will be led by Professor Anthony Chalmers, Chair of the Brain Tumour Group within the UK Collaborative for Cancer Clinical Research, reporting within three months. Leading brain cancer experts will assess what has changed for patients since a 2018 government review, and what is still holding progress back.
This will be followed by a national action plan to get new treatments out of the lab and to patients sooner.
A new national brain cancer clinical lead will be appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care to drive this work forward.
The Prime Minister has also asked the MHRA to complete its review of the rules for medicines that treat rare conditions - known as orphan drugs - in two years rather than three.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Archie is an inspiration to us all, and I am determined to deliver the change patients and their families deserve.
"He has spoken passionately about the need for change on brain cancer, and he’s right: progress hasn’t been good enough, here or anywhere else. Families facing this disease can’t afford to wait.
"That is why today we’re committing to appoint a dedicated national lead and setting out how we’ll get new treatments to patients faster. I strongly support this work and was delighted to welcome Archie to Downing Street to discuss it with him in person."
Patients, families and charities will help design a drive to get more people onto clinical trials. This will be led by the Health and Social Care Secretary, who will host a roundtable with researchers, clinicians and charities to find new ways to boost participation.
Ministers will also work with researchers and industry to make the UK a better place to run clinical trials in the UK, giving patients more opportunities to access promising new treatments.
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Archie has shown extraordinary courage in speaking out and fighting for everyone affected by brain cancer.
"We owe it to every family facing this devastating disease to do better. We’re acting to get more trials under way, new treatments to patients faster and make the UK a leader in tackling brain cancer."
Brainstrust, Brain Tumour Research, Brain Tumour Support, The Brain Tumour Charity and The Tessa Jowell Foundation, along with The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission said: "On behalf of brain tumour patients and their families, both today and in the future, we would like to thank Archie for his determination and to Government for listening to the voices of the community and recognising the urgent need for change.
"We applaud the commitment from the Prime Minister today, which will give a platform for significant improvements in the months and years ahead.
"We collectively remain committed to building on the momentum that has grown over the last year and to working with Government to ensure these welcome initiatives deliver meaningful change for patients and their families."
