Alan Farrell
Question:269. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the measures taken by his Department to support and expand clinical trials in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51597/21]
View answerWednesday, 20 October 2021
Questions (269)
Written answers
In May of this year, I established national research ethics committees (NRECs) in the areas of clinical trials of medicines and clinical investigations of medical devices, as part of an ongoing revision of the framework for ethics review of health research in Ireland. These new committees, supported by the National Office for Research Ethics Committees, represent a major step forward in Irish health research, and will play a key role in enabling Ireland to meet its obligations under the new EU Clinical Trials Regulation and the EU Medical Device Regulation.
The Health Research Board (HRB) recently announced €22 million in funding to further develop patient-focused clinical research infrastructure in Ireland. This funding will keep Ireland at the forefront of clinical research and trials and increase opportunities for patients to participate in and benefit from them. It also increases the supports available to investigators to pursue more investigator-led clinical trials, with HRB support expanding from three Clinical Research Facilities/Centres (CRF/Cs) to five.
Located at hospital sites and supported by universities, CRF/Cs are a key part of the national clinical trials infrastructure and are a huge asset for researchers, clinicians and industry partners wishing to undertake clinical trials. They provide the space, facilities, governance, services and supports, and, most importantly, the skills and expertise necessary to enable high-quality, safe, and compliant clinical trials.