The Health Research Authority (HRA) has unveiled its 2026–28 strategy, outlining how it will support AI use across health and social care research, whilst ensuring suitable protections and safeguards are appropriately maintained......
The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Commission, and the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA)-the collective bodies behind the Accelerating Clinical Trials in the EU (ACT EU) initiative-unveiled an updated ACT EU workplan......
In this issue: Pharmaceuticals-regulatory framework Medical devices Research and development Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Trackers and horizon scanning Useful information Pharmaceuticals-regulatory framework MHRA launches consultation on draft rare disease therapies framework The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has opened a consultation on a draft Rare Disease Therapies Regulatory Framework. The plans would establish an Investigational Marketing Authorisation to permit controlled early access to rare disease treatments while further clinical and real‑world data are collected. The consultation closes on 30 July 2026. See: LNB News 21/05/2026 31. Commission publishes analysis proposing Biotech Act measures The European Commission has issued a staff working document outlining the analysis supporting its proposed Biotech Act, first unveiled in December 2025. Aimed at reinforcing Europe’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing base, with a strong emphasis on health, the Act intends to...
Section 6 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 supersedes VPA 2024, s 17, scrapping the prior constraint that protected disclosures had to be made to particular recipients for specified purposes. Any term in any agreement, including commercial non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), is void to the extent it seeks to stop a victim, or someone who reasonably believes they are a victim, from revealing relevant criminal conduct-or the counterparty’s reaction to it-to anyone, for any purpose. The new provision binds the Crown, subject only to a tightly drawn national security exception. This analysis examines how these reforms align with existing common law limits on confidentiality and their consequences for standard commercial NDA templates. It is written by Richard Hanstock, a barrister at Cornerstone Barristers and the founder of Deeptech Legal, an SRA-authorised firm specialising in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, defence technology and national security...
This subtopic looks at boilerplate clauses in commercial business-to-business agreements. For broader guidance on commercial clauses more generally, see: Commercial clauses-overview. For details on boilerplate in business-to-consumer contracts, refer to the section on ‘Consumer boilerplate’ below. For boilerplate in public sector contracts, see the section on ‘Public sector boilerplate’ below.
Solicitors work across an enormous spectrum of transactions, yet each will in some manner involve a written agreement. In practice, all agreements should contain boilerplate. Every such agreement ought to include certain boilerplate clauses as a matter of course. ‘Boilerplate’ describes those provisions inserted to govern the mechanics of the contract and the legal points commonly arising in most transactions and arrangements. For more on the purpose and significance of boilerplate clauses, see Practice Note: The role of boilerplate.
Boilerplate clauses are usually located at both the front and the back of an agreement. These provisions are often treated, mistakenly, as standard, miscellaneous terms, but that is a perilous assumption indeed. It is not uncommon for a boilerplate clause to be the source of litigation. As a boilerplate clause will address matters such as the interpretation, validity and enforcement of an...
When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...