Collaboration is crucial in clinical therapy research

Since 2014, the Swedish Research Council has funded cllinical therapy research. We have now conducted an analysis of how the research funding has worked over these 10 years. The analysis shows that collaboration between Swedish regions and, when applicable, clinics in other countries is a crucial factor for the success of clinical therapy research. When collaboration partners cannot fulfil their undertakings, this creates problems and delays in the projects.

Our analysis also shows that clinical research requires time and personnel resources that are not always available, and that research projects are often delayed during the start-up phase due to difficulties concluding collaboration agreements.

“We are seeing that access to a competent study coordinator and functioning collaboration structures in the form of professional networks are important success factors for enabling projects to be completed,” says Maria Akalla, Analyst at the Swedish Research Council.

She adds that frequent debrief meetings between the study management and the participating study centres are necessary to solve issues arising during the course of the project.

Jonas Oldgren, Secretary General for Clinical Research, emphasises the work done by the Committee for Clinical Therapy Research during the past ten years.

“The Committee has gradually developed its processes for improving the research funding and ensuring the research projects are both of high scientific quality and feasible to implement in Swedish healthcare. Something that does need to improve, however, is the ability of the regions to prioritise and set aside time for therapy research in their everyday clinical work,” says Jonas Oldgren.

Read the report Klinisk behandlingsforskning till nytta för patienter och samhälle (in Swedish)