Lawrence Tallon has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and will begin the role on 1 April 2025.
Mr Tallon will succeed Dame June Raine DBE, who is retiring after having led the organisation since 2019. Tallon has thanked her for her ‘unwavering commitment to public health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic’. He has expressed his dedication to starting this important new chapter and supporting the evolution of the MHRA.
Mr Tallon has been Deputy Chief Executive at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust for the past five years and will bring valuable experience and insight of the operations of healthcare systems to this role.
MHRA Chair, Professor Anthony Harnden, said: ‘Lawrence is an impressive leader who brings with him a wealth of experience from across the healthcare sector, nationally and globally. I look forward to working with him to maintain the UK as a global centre of excellence in life sciences and strengthening safety systems in the best interests of patients and the public.’
The MHRA says that ‘Mr Tallon will lead the organisation’s work to accelerate patient access to innovative medicines and medical devices.’ The MHRA has acknowledged that there is a need to work more efficiently to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the industry.
The MHRA’s ongoing goal is to enhance its oversight of the safety and effectiveness of products, provide guidelines and enforce legislation over its appointed countries, while also strengthening international partnerships.
