The centre at Sheffield Children’s Hospital will focus on preventing or altering the course of diseases in babies.

Access to treatments at the trial stage could “change the lives of children and young people”, said its director, Prof Michael J Cork.

The centres would also mean the holding of trials could be expanded to under-served areas, allowing more people to take part.

Prof Dinesh Saralaya, director of the Bradford CRDC, said it would “improve healthcare outcomes of our diverse population”.

Research across the UK will take place into conditions including cancer and obesity, as well as infectious diseases like flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

CRDCs are set to open in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The “vast majority” of companies who sell branded medicines to the NHS are contributing to the investment, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

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