We are pleased to report evidence of a sea change in how medical research is supported in the United Kingdom. A major clinical research funder is commissioning studies of four of the top ten schizophrenia research questions prioritized by patients, carers and clinicians last year using the James Lind Alliance priority-setting process (see go.nature.com/u2cqcy and Nature 474, 277–278; 2011).

The Health Technology Assessment programme of the National Institute for Health Research funds rigorous and independent research into the effectiveness of health-care technologies relevant to the UK National Health Service (NHS). The schizophrenia questions that the programme will investigate are: how to improve management of the weight gain and sexual dysfunction that is associated with medication; how to manage people whose schizophrenia is unresponsive to treatment; and how to recognize early signs of relapse.

James Lind Alliance partnerships ensure that the views of patients and others outside academia and industry are heard when setting research priorities. From April 2013, the alliance will be coordinated from within the NHS (see go.nature.com/twhvxz). This is an important further step towards incorporating patient, carer and clinician priorities in the wider activities of policy-makers and research funders.