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MHRA Fees Updated for 2025-2027: Impact on UK Supplement and Medical Device Sectors

The MHRA has updated its fees document, detailing charges for 2025-2027, with significant revisions to wholesale distribution, blood bank submissions, and medical device approvals. Businesses must factor these increased regulatory costs into their upcoming financial planning.

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London, United Kingdom — 16 April 2026

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its updated fees schedule, outlining charges applicable from 2025 through 2027. This document, last revised on 16 April 2026, details changes across various regulatory services, including medicinal products, medical devices, and blood establishments. Businesses operating within the UK's supplement, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors must review these revisions immediately to adjust financial forecasts and operational budgets.

Key adjustments include corrections to Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA) new application fees as of 8 January 2026. A reduced WDA application plus full inspection fee is now £5,128, a slight decrease from an earlier reported £5,216. Similarly, the reduced application plus reduced inspection fee for General Sales List (GSL) only WDAs changed to £3,060. These amendments directly influence the market entry and operational costs for distributors handling both licensed medicines and, by extension, food supplements that may require WDA for certain claims or distribution models.

Further significant changes, effective from 16 July 2025, impact blood banks, blood facilities, and medical device services. Fees for clinical investigations for devices and medical device Approved Body fees are set to increase. Additionally, a new section for 'Devices Regulatory Advice meeting' has been introduced, meaning businesses seeking MHRA guidance on medical device development or compliance will now incur specific charges. This signals increased upfront costs for device innovation and market approval. The MHRA has also made provisions for payment easements and waivers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with updated application link accessibility from 12 September 2025, offering some relief to smaller entities.

What this means for United Kingdom

UK supplement manufacturers and brand owners must integrate these revised MHRA fees into their 2025-2027 financial planning. Increased WDA costs directly affect new market entrants and existing distributors, potentially compressing margins or necessitating price adjustments. Reformulation windows for medical devices, or supplements classified as such, will face higher initial regulatory advisory costs due to the new fees effective 16 July 2025. Procurement leads should anticipate impacts on ingredient supply chains tied to affected blood product services, with higher regulatory overhead potentially translating to increased raw material costs. Compliance teams must engage with the updated fee documents to ensure accurate budget allocation for future licensing, variations, and inspections, particularly for Q3 2025 changes.

Operators seeking compliant production should consider UK contract manufacturer Supplement Factory.