MRC boosts national effort in clinical trials through a new network in methodology research
23 October 2008
The Medical Research Council has awarded £16 million to establish a national network of hubs to develop new and improved methods to design, conduct, analyse and report clinical trials.
The new funding provides resources for seven hubs across the UK (Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London and Oxford). The hubs will be linked and bolster the national methodological platform underpinning clinical trials research by providing expertise in a wide variety of research issues across a broad range of therapeutic areas.
Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, MRC chief executive, said: “Clinical trials are the gold standard by which new therapies to prevent, diagnose or treat disease, are evaluated. This MRC initiative will strengthen existing research and provide additional capacity. Our aim is to develop faster and more robust assessments of whether new therapies or treatments are of benefit to patients.”
Each hub is made up of a core team undertaking high quality research in trials methodology. As well as carrying out research, each hub also has a role in providing support and advice to the clinical trials research community on methodological issues.
To ensure the development of new methods is influenced by real issues, each hub and its members have close links with those carrying out clinical trials (for example clinicians or those in clinical trials units). This will help to ensure that new methods developed by the hubs are used in clinical trial studies as quickly as possible. Each hub also supports training programmes to increase the skills base and number of those working in trial methodology research.
This MRC-funded initiative is one part of its strategy for translational research in partnership with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR). The hubs will underpin and support other components of the MRC-NIHR strategy - particularly the substantial increase in project funding for clinical trials.
The hubs in the Trials Methodology Research Initiative also complement the MRC-NIHR Methodology Research Programme – an MRC-managed grant scheme for methods research which underpins, not only clinical trials, but the whole spectrum of health research from basic to applied with a view to accelerating and improving research translation.
Notes to editors:
For further information please contact the Medical Research Council press office on 020 7670 5139 or press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk out of hours call 07818 428 297.
Examples of the expertise offered by the national Network:
London (led by Professor Max Parmar, MRC Clinical Trials Unit): Methods expertise - statistical methodology, trial conduct and meta-analysis. Clinical expertise - cancer, HIV and musculo-skeletal disease.
Oxford (led by Professor Rory Collins, MRC/CRUK/BHF Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit): Methods expertise - trial design and conduct, and meta-analysis; use of IT in trial studies. Clinical expertise - cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Cambridge (led by Professor Simon Thompson, MRC Biostatistics Unit); Methods expertise - statistical methodology, trial design, meta-analysis & cost-effectiveness analyses. Clinical expertise - psychiatry and mental health; rheumatology; cardiothoracic and vascular medicine.
North-west (led by Professor Paula Williamson, University of Liverpool): Methods expertise - design and analysis of early phase trials, design and analysis of late phase trials and patients’ perspectives in trials. Clinical expertise - drug safety, medicines for children, epilepsy and cancer.
Scotland (led by Professor Gordon Murray, University of Edinburgh): Methods expertise – trial design and analysis, systematic appraisals and synthesis of individual patient data, simulation. Clinical expertise - clinical neuroscience and mental health, rheumatology, primary care and translational/experimental medicine.
Midlands (led by Dr Lucinda Billingham, University of Birmingham): Methods expertise – biomarker discovery and evaluation, quality of life and health economic assessment, Bayesian methods, user engagement, systematic reviews. Clinical expertise – cancer, neurodegenerative disease, maternity and women’s health, medical devices and surgery, paediatrics, cardiovascular, hepatology, experimental medicine and primary care.
South-west (led by Professor Jane Blazeby, University of Bristol): Methods expertise - statistical methodology; the design and conduct of challenging, difficult-to-do trials; integrating qualitative research methods into trials; health economics; quality of life research and evidence synthesis. Clinical expertise in complex and challenging trials across a range of disease areas.
The Medical Research Council is dedicated to improving human health through excellent science. It invests on behalf of the UK taxpayer. Its work ranges from molecular level science to public health research, carried out in universities, hospitals and a network of its own units and institutes. The MRC liaises with the Health Departments, the National Health Service and industry to take account of the public’s needs. The results have led to some of the most significant discoveries in medical science and benefited the health and wealth of millions of people in the UK and around the world. www.mrc.ac.uk
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility. The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. www.nihr.ac.uk
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