Explore how our R&D Briefings have impacted regulatory and health technology assessment (HTA) policy worldwide.

We are delighted to share with you CIRS R&D Briefing 100, a special edition celebrating over 30 years of evidence, insight, and impact. Since the 1990s, CIRS R&D Briefings have provided independent, data-driven analysis to inform policy, benchmark performance, and catalyse dialogue across the global medicines development ecosystem.

This briefing reflects on the role CIRS R&D Briefings have had in monitoring the evolution of regulatory and HTA practices, as well as supporting national and international advocacy and policy reforms. From benchmarking agency performance to exploring emerging trends such as artificial intelligence (AI) integration and collaborative pathways, CIRS remains a trusted source for senior decision makers navigating complex issues in the pharmaceutical landscape.

First published in the 1990s, R&D Briefings are independent publications by CIRS that distil the findings from our research —alongside journal articles, posters and workshop reports—into strategic insights that inform policy and support decision making across the regulatory and HTA landscape. Several R&D Briefings ae published each year, covering a range of topics aligned with our three pillars and Research Agenda.

Our benchmarking R&D Briefings spotlight the findings from our annual regulatory and HTA agency metrics studies, also known as the ‘six agency’ and ‘HTADock’ studies, respectively. They provide comparative insights into the performance of selected agencies with similar mandates and processes.

Other R&D Briefings identify and explore emerging regulatory and HTA trends, challenges, opportunities and best practices at national regional and global levels. These studies may involve desk-based research, such as examining agency policies, guidance and procedures (e.g. R&D Briefing 92 on ‘Appraisal of public assessment reports (PARs) as tools to guide reliance decision making by regulatory agencies’), as well as surveys to gather the perspectives and experiences of our stakeholders (e.g. R&D Briefing 94 on ‘The value of reference agency assessment reports in enabling regulatory reliance’).

Outputs from our workshops have also formed the basis of earlier briefings (eg. R&D Briefing 80 on the CIRS workshop, ‘Reimagining medicine regulatory models on learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic’) and other CIRS meeting (e.g. R&D Briefing 60 on ‘Early scientific advice from HTA agencies’, based on a CIRS Company Technical Forum).

CIRS R&D Briefings ae more than research publications—they are strategic tools that inform, influence, and catalyse action across the global medicines development ecosystem. Their value lies in their ability to translate complex data into meaningful insights that support evidence-based decision making across stakeholders.

They support three key activities:

  • Strategic monitoring and intelligence
  • Policy development and advocacy
  • Cross-sectoral dialogue and alignment.

CIRS R&D Briefings have become a recognised source of independent evidence cited by our stakeholders globally. Insights from our R&D Briefings have helped shape national policies, inform strategic reforms and catalyse cross-sector global dialogue.

For example, the European Commission (EC) cited regulatory benchmarking data from CIRS R&D Briefing 88 in Part B of the Draghi Report on the future of European competitiveness, noting the differing approval timelines for Europe against regulatory agencies in other regions. This recognition underscores the broader influence of CIRS benchmarking in shaping strategic reform across both industry and governmental stakeholders.

“The annual six agency CIRS R&D Briefing is always scrutinised with interest. Its comparative nature gives valuable insights into EMA’s global performance, and any impact regulatory/procedural changes may have on this.”

Dr Steffen Thirstrup, Chief Medical Officer, European Medicines Agency (EMA), and member of the CIRS Scientific Advisory Council

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