Clinical research must be at the center of Italy’s growth. But to ensure the quality and ethical standards required in research, “new” professional figures are also needed, such as data managers and research nurses, to guarantee the quality of the data collected and to coordinate clinical studies, procedures and everything else. the staff involved in the trial. The bold Roche for clinical research is aimed at the training of these professionals, which in the 2021 edition awarded a total of € 300,000 in 10 innovative projects in public and private structures for the areas of oncology, oncological hematology, respiratory diseases, rheumatology, neuroscience and hereditary coagulopathies.
“New” professional figures
There are two “new” figures essential to guarantee the quality of clinical research.
In particular, the research coordinator, also known as data manager, is in charge of coordinating clinical trials, assisting the physician and managing data to ensure their accuracy. The research nurse, on the other hand, personally contributes to the success of clinical trials through the management of treatments, the therapeutic education of the patient and the family, in order to increase their adherence to treatments and the consequent stay in the hospital. of study. Although they have existed for some time, these figures have begun to be recognized only in recent years, and are currently consolidated at a national level not only for the ordinary management of the data, but above all for the coordination of procedures and all personnel involved in clinical trials. .
The winners
Ten, therefore, the public or private bodies that won this edition, distributed throughout the national territory: Friuli Venezia-Giulia (ASU Friuli Centrale of Udine and ASUGI of Trieste), Lombardy (ASST of Monza, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia and IRCCS Humanitas Clinical Institute of Rozzano), Emilia-Romagna (IRCCS of Bologna, AOU of Modena and AOU of Parma), Piedmont (University of Turin) and Sicily (AOU Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco of Catania).
The projects are awarded 30 thousand euros each, thanks to which they can be developed for 12 months at the reference bodies by data managers and research nurses, who will be able to consolidate their skills to better manage clinical trials and thus not only an improvement in the quality of the research itself but also in the safety of the patients participating in it.
“The candidate projects – says Nino Cartabellotta, President of the GIMBE Foundation who as an external and independent partner has evaluated and selected the applications – were evaluated taking into consideration first and foremost the quality of the project, determined by the relevance of the research question, by the methodological rigor and the potential impact on the health and sustainability of the National Health Service of the Project, in addition to the quality of the scientific activities of the Organization based on the impact of the scientific publications produced by the relevant researchers. Today more than ever it is essential to support and promote the work of Data Managers and Research Nurses, who play a fundamental role in the innovation of the Health system and therefore for its sustainability. The greater attention paid to these professionals in fact offers the opportunity to improve the management of clinical trials, thus making our country increasingly competitive in the field of research “.
The new call for 2022
In announcing the winners of the 2021 edition, Roche confirmed its commitment also for 2022. The new Call is already open and the applications will close on May 20, for a further funding of 300 thousand euros for another 10 applications between date research managers and nurses in the therapeutic areas of oncology, oncological hematology, ophthalmology, neuroscience and hereditary coagulopathies.