Evaluation of research quality in the ALF regions

The Swedish Research Council has been tasked to evaluate the quality of the clinical research conducted in the seven regions covered by the ALF agreement.

The ALF agreement states that 20 per cent of the ALF funding for clinical research shall be allocated on the basis of research quality. The allocation of the funding is based on the Swedish Research Council’s evaluation of the quality of clinical research conducted in the ALF regions, and the resource allocation model produced by the national ALF steering committee.

In this context, and according to Clause 7 of the ALF agreement, clinical research is defined as “research that requires access to the structures and resources of the health services, and for which the aim is to solve a health problem, or identify factors that lead to improved healthsuch research as assumes the structures and resources of healthcare, and has the goal of solving an ill health problem, or identifying factors that lead to increased health”.

Three aspects of quality are evaluated:

  1. The quality of the scientific output
  2. The clinical significance and societal impact of the clinical research
  3. The prerequisites for clinical research

In addition to forming the basis for the allocation of 20 per cent of the ALF funding, the evaluation aims to identify, highlight and reward good examples in the regions that stand out nationally through their quality work. These regions can then serve as examples to other regions. The long-term goal is to raise the quality of all Swedish clinical research.

How the evaluation is done

Three panels with international members evaluate and assess the documentation sent in by the ALF regions. The contents and grounds for assessment are decided by the Swedish Research Council, based on the starting points produced by the national ALF steering committee. The starting points of the steering committee are as follows:

1. The quality of the scientific output

2. The clinical significance and societal impact of the clinical research

3. The prerequisites for clinical research

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