National Clinical Trials Day: the Czech Republic strengthens its position in European drug research
The main topic of the conference of the 7th National Clinical Trials Day, organised by the Large Research Infrastructure CZECRIN on 30 May in Prague, was the safety and efficacy of new drugs.
This year's National Clinical Trials Day, organized by the Large Research Infrastructure CZECRIN in Prague, was as usual dedicated to the topic of clinical trials aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of new drugs or therapies. The conference was supported by the Ministry of Health, as it recognizes the need for support in this area and thus benefit for patients.
One of the main topics of the conference was the position of clinical trials in the Czech Republic in the European field. They play a crucial role in the development of innovative medicines and have a direct impact on the quality of life of patients. Clinical trials have been conducted in the Czech Republic for more than three decades. Currently, more than 480 trials are being conducted in many healthcare institutions and more than 16 000 patients are involved, which puts us in a strong position in European comparison. Support for clinical trials, including the provision of a sufficient number of qualified study coordinators, is key to maintaining such a position and its further development.
The initiative of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic to harmonise the environment for conducting clinical trials was presented at the conference by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health for Legislation and Law, JUDr. Radek Policar: "We plan to create a national strategy of the Czech Republic for improving the environment for conducting clinical trials of medicines. Thanks to the clinical trials of medicines that take place in hospitals and outpatient clinics, our patients get access to the most modern treatments. Support for this activity is therefore support for the benefit of patients, research teams and also saves the public health insurance system costs, as medicines are paid for by those who initiate the research and still paid for by those who participate in the research." MUDr. Alice Němcová, Director of the Department of Clinical Evaluation of Medicines at SÚKL, added the view of the national regulatory authority.
During the moderated discussions, the possibilities of strengthening the position of the Czech Republic on the map of clinical research (not only) by linking with European initiatives were discussed, which included improving clinical practice or financing medical research in cooperation with foreign guests.
An unforgettable theme of this year's conference was the role of healthcare institutions as the main actors in the implementation of clinical trials. The complexity of study teams, the competences of study coordinators and the possibilities of support in the implementation of clinical trials in healthcare facilities were emphasized. For several years, the CZECRIN VI has been contributing to the cultivation of the environment for conducting clinical trials through education. "We get funding from the Ministry of Education and support individual hospitals towards study coordinators so that hospitals can have them and have the necessary training. Thanks to the national support, we can also contribute financially to make the whole infrastructure work," adds CZECRIN Director Assoc. prof. MUDr. Regina Demlová, Ph.D.
