He is a professor of Primary Care in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, having first joined the department in 1992. Until the end of December 2024, he is a registrant council member of the General Medical Council and chair of the Renumeraton Committee.

Prof Harnden was a general practitioner for 33 years in Wheatley, Oxfordshire and worked for the NHS for 40 years. He was also previously deputy chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and played a key role in ensuring public trust and patient safety during the distribution of the Covid vaccine.

In his new role, Prof Harnden will play a key role in driving forward the strategic direction of MHRA to maintain the UK as a global centre of excellence in life sciences, in the best interests of patients and the public.

Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said: 'Anthony brings with him a wealth of experience from across the healthcare sector and academia that will be invaluable when advising on the strategic direction of the Agency to protect and promote public health.

'I would also like to say an enormous thank you to Amanda Calvert, Michael Whitehouse OBE and Professor Graham Cooke for their sterling work co-chairing the MHRA board on an interim basis since July 2023.'

Prof Harnden said: 'I am looking forward to making a contribution to the future successes of the organisation.

'I will use my experience in healthcare and regulation to help the MHRA deliver its strategic priorities – keeping patients safe and enabling timely access to new medicines and technologies.'

Prof Harnden succeeds former MHRA chair Stephen Lightfoot, who served from September 2020 and stepped down in 2023.