Dr Finnian Hanrahan
Scientific Programme Manager, Research Centres, Research Ireland
Ireland is demonstrating leadership on patient involvement in health research. Meaningful impact starts with early, effective engagement with patients, carers and advocates
Irish-based researchers are world-leading in many medical fields. Their endeavours are supported by, among others, the national research and innovation funding agency, Research Ireland.
Investments and partnerships in health research
Much of Ireland’s clinical research investment is through large-scale programmes. A new clinical trial by FutureNeuro Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science, for example, is exploring how advanced brain monitoring can improve epilepsy diagnosis and care.
Similarly, funded strategic partnerships allow researchers to pool resources and work with companies, Government bodies and charities — for example, ELEVATE (Prediction, Early Detection and Intervention in Cerebral Palsy), co-funded by Research Ireland and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation in the US.
The clinical trial ecosystem is like an iceberg, with the trial on the surface. Underneath are enabling components, like biobanks, registries, infrastructure, personnel, patient data systems, approval processes (including ethical, regulatory, legal and contractual), funding and a pipeline of early-stage research. Ireland has been historically weak in some of these areas, including progress towards electronic health records and lengthy approval processes for trials.
Incorporating patient views, needs and acceptability from the outset places
any clinical trials that might emerge from research on the best possible footing
Achieving impact and future plans
Incorporating patient views, needs and acceptability from the outset places any clinical trials that might emerge from research on the best possible footing. Increasingly, researchers are encouraged to integrate engagement into all projects, and we’ve focused on building capacity here.
The Government has a stated ambition to increase the number of clinical trials, and to examine how better to support clinicians, researchers and support staff in this regard. Research Ireland is working with Government agencies and departments, the healthcare community, researchers, patients and advocates, to make this a reality.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing — a sector within which Ireland has a large footprint — is increasingly shifting to new advanced therapeutics such as cell therapies. These therapies often have a closer link to research and healthcare systems than traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing. The ensuing benefits from increasing Ireland’s engagement in clinical trials, therefore, would directly impact patients, our economy and society.
