Written question asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. It was answered by Lord Leong (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Drugs: Research

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the use of artificial intelligence and human-based laboratory models in the development of new medicines.

Answer: The Government is supporting the use of artificial intelligence and human-based laboratory models in medicines development through the Replacing Animals in Science strategy and wider work to accelerate AI adoption across the UK life sciences sector. This includes investment in AI-enabled tools, organ-on-a-chip systems, advanced cell and tissue models, and other human-relevant approaches to predict the safety and effectiveness of new medicines. We have invested £20 million in the Pre-clinical Translational Models Hub and up to £2 million through Innovate UK to support innovative technologies, including AI tools and human tissue models. The Government has also appointed an AI Champion for the life sciences sector and is taking forward the AI Opportunities Action Plan to support the development, adoption and responsible use of AI technologies, alongside work to support their validation and regulatory uptake through the UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods.

Secondary information