Barts Charity has awarded almost £3 million in funding for the Advancing substantial improvements in health through optimally designed Clinical Trials (ACT) research programme in the Centre for Evaluation and Methods. Funding for five years from 1 June will support 11 new posts, and build on existing capabilities within the Barts Clinical Trials Unit to help to create a centre of excellence for trials research in the CEM.
Well-designed and executed clinical trials provide evidence of benefit of healthcare interventions, and are a crucial step in improving the lives of patients and the public. ACT will provide expertise to enable the development and successful funding of innovative studies. This funding will allow scientists, clinicians, and other innovators to translate findings into promising health interventions and provide definitive evidence of benefits. The objective is to contribute to a reduction in mortality and morbidity from major disease through effective, efficient clinical trials research, producing tangible benefits. Research will be prioritised where there is a high disease burden for the local community, national or global impact, and where there is synergy with respect to growing research themes covering inequalities and targeted interventions across health settings.