Dr Robert O’Connor
Director, HRB-National Clinical Trials Office
From headaches to life-threatening illnesses, we rely on effective treatments. Clinical trials ensure these work by assessing benefits and identifying risks.
Clinical trials are meticulously designed studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medicines, devices and procedures in people — identify what works and what doesn’t. Indeed, every treatment we rely on owes its existence to clinical trial evidence.
Why are clinical trials important to Ireland?
Clinical trials lead to better patient outcomes. This improvement stems from the organised and methodical approach inherent in conducting a clinical trial. Ireland boasts a long and proud history of contributing to advancements in healthcare.
For instance, radiotherapy, often used to treat cancer, was first developed and tested over a century ago, right here, in Dublin. Millions of lives have been positively impacted by this work. Medicines, devices and surgeries greatly improve many lives, doubling our life expectancy over the past century. However, many enormous health challenges remain, and trials bring hope for new treatments and cures.
Clinical trials bring economic benefits. As well as being one of the top producers of medicines and devices in the world (if you have a stent, for example, chances are it was made in Ireland), Ireland is now a major global site for organisations that coordinate delivery of trials.
Additionally, trials can reduce the cost of healthcare delivery and may provide sick patients with access to cutting-edge treatments not yet widely available, offering them a potential lifeline and hope for improvement.
Trials can reduce the cost of healthcare delivery
and may provide sick patients with access to
cutting-edge treatments not yet widely available.
Retaining top healthcare expertise
When we fall sick, we want to be treated by the most experienced and up-to-date healthcare professionals. At a time of global shortages in such skills, the ability to be able to contribute to human health advancement in a research-active hospital or clinic can be a major way of retaining and attracting the best and brightest healthcare professionals in our nation and thereby ensuring the most effective and efficient care.
Overcoming challenges through collaboration
Supported by Health Research Board, University College Cork and Enterprise Ireland, the National Clinical Trials Office acts as a crucial facilitator of trial activity. It fosters collaboration between research sites, specialists driving trial development and innovators creating new medical solutions.
Despite challenges like recurrent funding limitations for trial infrastructure, staffing shortages and broader sectoral and legislative hurdles, collaborative efforts within a supportive healthcare system offer the best hope for finding tomorrow’s cures.
