Clinical study groups
arc intends to provide support for large scale clinical trials and related studies by working with health care providers (e.g. NHS) and other bodies (e.g. pharmaceutical industry). The goal is to harness expertise, facilities and resources to support arc goals. Details about the new scheme can be found here.
arc is committed to maximising its support for activity in clinical trials and this depends on maximising the support opportunities from NHS sources. The NHS is committed to providing resources to ensure the achievability of studies it adopts for funding. Resources required can be classified as Direct Research Costs, Service Support Costs or Treatment Costs. arc will only fund direct research costs.
arc expect that as an NIHR CRN partner that funding of service support costs will be obtainable from UKCCRN (UK Comprehensive Clinical Research Network) via the CLRNs (Comprehensive Local Research Networks) or equivalent in devolved nations. Information regarding NIHR Clinical Research Network can be found here: http://www.ukcrn.org.uk/index.html
The complexity of running a clinical trial requires input from a multidisciplinary team with relevant expertise. arc thus require that every study, whilst remaining under the scientific control of the Chief Investigator (CI), must be managed by an UKCRC-registered CTU or meet evaluation criteria for registration if not registered. Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) are specialist units which have been set up with a specific remit to design, conduct and analyse, via provision of specialist expert statistical, epidemiological and other methodological advice and coordination, to undertake successful clinical trials. The authoritative web resource for information about the UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Units is: http://www.ukcrc-ctu.org.uk
Proposals for clinical trials for arc funding should be submitted via a CSG. Additionally the CSGs are involved in supporting applications to other funders notably the NIHR. Other funding information can be found here: http://www.ukcrn.org.uk/index/clinical/funding.html
Overall the approach the groups will use to develop strategy is here. The groups will be charged with developing nationally agreed strategies in their areas and the specific approaches to be adopted by each group can be found by linking on the corresponding group below.
Call for comments and expressions of interest
Over the past 12 months the groups have through a variety of processes developed outline strategies. The CSGs now seek input and participation from the wider musculoskeletal community on these strategies: please click here for further information. Please click here to download the 'Expression of interest form'.
Novel ideas
Although the CSGs are committed to developing strategic priorities based on consensus following consultation they are also keen to receive, at any time, suggestions for research particularly in novel areas of therapeutics. Please email the CSG lead for the appropriate group with any novel ideas: the contact details for the CSG leads are above.
Funding update
Please click here for an update on the clinical trials funding.
National Collections of Clinical Data and Associated Biological Materials
arc has funded and continues to receive requests for the support of the establishment of banks for specific diseases of clinical data, with associated biological materials, such as DNA, serum and biopsy specimens.
For arc's current position regarding its support for such initiatives and in particular how they must be integrated with strategy emerging from the newly developed CSGs please click here.
