The Medical Research Council has been funding clinical research for more than 70 years. Here are some of the key achievements during that time:

1920s Clinical research to identify ways of combating rickets and other childhood diseases by improving children’s nutrition.

1930s Clinical trials of new drugs to treat life-threatening infections including septicaemia, meningitis and pneumonia.

1940s Clinical trials of whooping cough vaccines and of treatments for tuberculosis, other serious bacterial infections and hepatitis

1950s Epidemiological research shows that cigarette smoking cause lung cancer.

1960s Clinical trials of vaccines for influenza, polio, leprosy, diphtheria, measles and rubella, and radiotherapy for cancers.

1970s Clinical trials of chemotherapy and immunology for leukaemia.

1980s Clinical trials show aspirin and warfarin effective for treating cardiovascular disease, treatments for childhood leukaemia dramatically improve chance of recovery and folic acid given to high risk women reduces number of babies born with spina bifida.

1990s Clinical trials show that combining retroviral drugs delays progress of AIDS, although AZT provides no benefits before symptoms are present; also that chemotherapy is beneficial for many types of cancer. Trials have also involved breast cancer screening and AIDS treatments for children.

2000s Clinical trials show cholesterol-lowering statin drugs reduce heart attacks and strokes whilst trials of treatments for disease of the elderly and hormone replacement therapy.

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