A new Clinical Research Roadmap that will improve outcomes for patients, create jobs in health related industries in Ireland and enhance clinical research was launched by Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health and Children on Tuesday 1 June in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

Up to 80 people from the public and private health sectors attended the launch which was held in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The Roadmap was widely welcomed as a significant step towards the further development and enhancement of Ireland’s clinical research infrastructure and an important contribution towards the country’s economic renewal.

The Clinical Research Roadmap highlights the strategic and operational changes needed to improve Ireland’s capacity to undertake high quality, multi-centre clinical research. These changes are needed to develop new medicines, diagnostics, therapeutics and medical devices and to allow Ireland participate in European research initiatives.

The Roadmap looks at how we can create a coordinated, networked clinical research system in Ireland. The Roadmap was developed by the Irish Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ICRIN)*, which is funded by the Health Research Board and the HSE. The Roadmap brings together the ideas and knowledge of the best minds in clinical research - regulators, funders, researchers, industry associations, hospitals, universities and patient organisations.

Pictured at the launch  of the Clinical Research Roadmap (l to r): Professor Larry Egan (Clinical Director of ICRIN), Dr Ruth Barrington (CEO of MMI), Dr Damian O' Connell (Chair of MMI), Mary Harney TD, John Mc Cormack (Chair of Medical Research Charities Group) and Enda Connolly (CEO of Health Research Board) 

In launching the Roadmap, Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health and Children says that the Government is committed to building capacity for clinical research in Ireland and acknowledged the Roadmap as an important contribution in this regard.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Lawrence Egan, Clinical Director of ICRIN and Interim Director of Galway Clinical Research Facility, said, "Our vision is to incorporate clinical research into the everyday care of patients”. Referring to the importance of partnership, he emphasised that, "ICRIN’s Clinical Research Roadmap represents an opportunity for funders, researchers, industry and the health service to build together an Irish clinical research system that will achieve this vision".

Dr Damian O’Connell, Chairman of Molecular Medicine Ireland and Vice President of Pfizer Clinical R&D said, "The Government is committed to making Ireland a leading country for the timing, access and relevance of clinical trials. The Clinical Research Roadmap is an important contribution, as to how, in practice, this national objective can be achieved. A great deal of investment in clinical research infrastructure has already been made in Dublin, Galway and Cork. What we need to do now is move quickly to create a sustainable, national system to support clinical research. I would like to thank everyone who had had a role in developing the Roadmap".

Speaking from an industry perspective, Dr O’Connell emphasised the need for Ireland to prioritise and map its clinical research strengths and health needs in order to attract industry sponsored clinical trials. He said that, “Building the patient registries and bio collections linked to those priorities, coupled with a much improved capacity to undertake clinical trials, will be of interest to industry and will generate more clinical research and more jobs in Ireland”.

Also speaking at the launch, Enda Connolly, Chief Executive at the Health Research Board, said, “The HRB is driving the growth of clinical research in Ireland. Developing a strong coherence across the Irish health and research systems is central to this. We have supported ICRIN to develop this Roadmap because it will help create the vibrant, co-ordinated clinical research system we need here. When this is in place, Ireland will be in a much better position to absorb new innovations and support high performance in our health system. This will improve people’s health as well as attracting industry investment”.

John McCormack, Chair of the Medical Research Charities Group and CEO of the Irish Cancer Society welcomed the Roadmap and said, “There are great opportunities to improve health outcomes for Irish people through clinical research. There is also great potential for patients to avail of the latest treatments for their conditions by taking part in clinical studies. If the recommendations of the Roadmap are implemented, the benefits of clinical research will be made more widely available. The Medical Research Charities Group encourages patients to avail of every opportunity to participate in clinical research studies in our hospitals".

The launch closed with a universal call for the implementation of the Roadmap.

To read the Clinical Research Roadmap please click here.