Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, an advisor to MedTech suppliers, chair of the Urology Trade Association, and governor of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, looks at the key priorities for the new head of the UK’s medical devices regulator.
Taking up his new position on 1st April, the new head of the UK’s medicines and medical devices regulator, the MHRA, has committed to putting ‘patient safety and improving patient access to new medicines and medical devices’ top of his priority agenda.
Speaking on his arrival at the Agency, Lawrence Tallon, who previously served as Deputy Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, committed to delivering his priorities through ‘risk-proportionate regulation, innovation and growth, and building partnerships in the UK and internationally’.
Tallon has also been Managing Director of the Shelford Group, which represents some of England’s leading NHS teaching hospitals, giving him insights into the challenges and opportunities facing modern healthcare and life science systems.
Prior to this he served as Director of Strategy, Planning and Performance at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and worked within the Department of Health and Social Care alongside ministers and NHS leaders.
Tallon succeeds Dr June Raine DBE, who is retiring after leading the MHRA since 2019, having steered the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK’s exit from the European Union. Raine stepped down after four decades working at the Medicines and Healthcare devices Regulatory Agency and its predecessor body.
Lawrence was announced as the new MHRA CEO in March 2025 by the Department of Health and Social Care.
More about the MHRA’s approach to medical device regulation is here. Those developing new devices should engage early on to understand the Agency’s approach, and the detailed regulations with which products and their suppliers must comply.
The Author used AI in preparing this article. Comments upon or questions about this article can be addressed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
