Ministers plan to replicate vaccine task force for cancer, obesity, mental health, and addiction

The UK government has pledged to replicate the blueprint it used for its covid vaccine rollout to tackle other public health priorities.

Ministers have committed £113m to research the development of new treatments and technologies in four areas identified by the NHS as key priorities— addiction, cancer, mental health, and obesity.

Each research area will be led by an independent expert in that field, who will be selected by a panel that includes Kate Bingham, the former head of the government’s vaccine taskforce.

The government said tackling the four major healthcare challenges would improve …