20 May 2006 marks the second International Clinical Trials Day
- a day designed to raise awareness amongst patients and the public
around the methods and challenges of clinical research. It is also
aimed to foster discussion and debate among participants in
clinical trials, practitioners, researchers and funders of clinical
research.
The day will be marked across a number of European cities with
forums of patients and citizens taking part in discussions on
transparency, patient protection, information, education, and on
their participation in clinical trials. In addition, a workshop and
press conference in Brussels under the auspices of the European
Commission will celebrate this event.
Much has occurred to strengthen clinical research in the UK
since the first International Clinical Trials Day was established
in 2005. Major effort and resources have been put into building the
UK’s capacity to carry out high quality clinical trials and other
well designed studies through the development of the UK Clinical
Research Network (UKCRN). The UK Health Departments are working
closely with the UKCRC and the UKCRN to ensure that the development
of this new research infrastructure in the NHS is taken forward
through a UK-wide approach.
This week has seen the launch of two major initiatives
designed to boost clinical research in the UK:
Diabetes Research Network
The UK Clinical Research Network and the Department of Health
have appointed eight Local Research Networks to support the
delivery and conduct of clinical diabetes research.
Each network will be tasked with increasing patient and public
involvement in diabetes research, as well as supporting workforce
development and open and transparent communication.
They will also work closely with their counterparts in Scotland,
Northern Ireland and Wales to support the creation of a UK-wide
clinical research infrastructure for diabetes research. In Scotland
diabetes is one of three identified areas where networks have been
established under UKCRN so far, in Northern Ireland diabetes will
be supported as part of the Northern Ireland Clinical Research
Network and in Wales the diabetes network is one of nine thematic
research networks.
School for Primary Care Research
Patients are set to receive even better care in primary care
settings and will have the opportunity to participate in more
research in these areas thanks to a new School for Primary Care
Research launched by Health Minister Andy Burnham this week.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for
Primary Care Research will receive £3million funding per year with
the express aim of increasing the evidence base for primary care
practice. This will mean research into the huge range of areas
of professional practice relevant to primary care. The School will
investigate a range of new ways of improving care such as finding
new methods of preventing ill health, and evaluating novel ways of
providing information to patients and staff.