Honouring the NHS: 77 Years of life-changing innovation in healthcare
5th July 2025 marks the 77th Anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), which treats over a million people per day in the UK, and will be commemorated by events such as the NHS Big Tea on 5th July 2025 #NHSBigTea.
The NHS officially launched in 1948, 77 years ago, providing free healthcare at the point of use. Some notable milestones include:
1956 – Polio immunization began, helping eradicate the disease in the UK
1968 – The first heart transplant in the UK was performed
1978 – The world’s first test-tube baby was born, in the UK through IVF treatment
1980s – The introduction of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans
1980s – Keyhole surgery transforms patient diagnostics and treatment
1997 – Against Breast Cancer sponsored DietCompLyf study begins to recruit patients at 56 UK NHS hospitals
2020 – NHS plays a central role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout
2025 – The government awards a £2.4 million grant to support further development of miONCO, a multi-cancer detection test developed from Against Breast Cancer-funded research
In April 2025, a new breakthrough drug for breast cancer was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use on the NHS. The drug capivasertib (cap-EEVA-sertib) together with existing hormone treatment (fulvestrant) was shown in clinical trials to double the time it took for cancer to progress in people with the most common type of breast cancer.
Capivasertib could benefit several thousands of patients and reduce the need for more aggressive therapies such as chemotherapy.
Capivasertib works by blocking the AKT protein (and its subtypes AKT1, AKT2, and AKT3), preventing the activation of signals that promote cancer cell growth. The new drug is suitable for patients’ tumours with alterations in the PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN genes, which are found in approximately half of patients with advanced breast cancer.
The discovery of capivasertib is a great example of a successful “bench to bedside” story starting with UK research that ultimately leads to patient benefit via our wonderful NHS. Here’s to another 77 years – and more – of the NHS.
Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash