International Clinical Trials Day is celebrated worldwide on 20 May. The day of action draws attention to the importance of clinical trials for medical progress. After all, new drugs and therapies can only be used safely if they have been carefully tested in clinical trials.
The Network of University Medicine (NUM) strengthens clinical research in Germany with the NUM Study Network. The aim is to get studies off the ground more quickly, enable more studies and at the same time further improve their quality. All university hospitals across Germany are working closely together.
How do patients benefit from this?
The NUM Study Network has a clear goal: research should reach patients directly and improve healthcare.
Studies from various medical specialities are continuously being conducted via the large network. By participating in a study, patients have the opportunity to gain access to a better range of care and to new therapies and innovative treatment approaches.
If participation in a study is an option, patients are approached by specially trained study nurses or research teams and given comprehensive information. Participation is, of course, voluntary. All studies are subject to strict legal and ethical requirements and are reviewed by independent experts before they begin.
This is particularly important:
- Patients are informed in detail
- Consent can be withdrawn at any time
- Supervision is provided by qualified specialists
- Participants learn what contribution they have made to medical progress
How does the NUM Study Network advance clinical trials?
Clinical trials are often complex and involve many organisational requirements. The NUM Study Network therefore supports researchers throughout the entire study process. But how does a clinical trial actually work?
- At the beginning of each study, researchers must clarify their research interest - in other words, which specific research question they want to answer. Once the objectives have been defined, it is important to identify suitable methods to answer the research question.
💡 The NUM Study Network supports researchers at this stage by providing methodological advice and digital tools, such as feasibility checks, right from the planning phase of studies.
- The well-being of patients participating in a clinical trial is the top priority. Independent ethics committees therefore review all studies in Germany in advance to ensure that the safety, rights and health of participants are protected. They also check whether the study has been planned sensibly and whether people have been informed about the risks and objectives in a comprehensible manner.
💡The NUM Study Network therefore offers access to a digital tool that supports the preparation and compilation of the necessary ethics documents.
- Numerous parties are often involved in the implementation of a clinical trial - from the financial sponsor to the individual study centres, which collect and evaluate the data together. Lengthy contract negotiations between the parties involved can significantly delay the start of studies.
💡 This is why the NUM Study Network helps to quickly identify the right partners. Standardised contract clauses agreed in advance guarantee faster contract conclusions and a quicker start to trials so that new therapies can be put into practice sooner.
- Every clinical trial can only be conducted if enough suitable patients are found who are willing to participate in the trial.
💡 Here, too, the NUM Study Network supports researchers by identifying suitable patients via a digital tool, allowing more potential study participants to be approached for participation in a trial.
The NUM Study Network accompanies clinical trials from the idea to publication. It enables patients to receive better care. In this way, it contributes to the sustainable improvement of healthcare in Germany - for the benefit of research, medicine and, above all, patients.