The UK is welcoming a new set of national standards this coming year, which are designed to improve the quality and consistency of public involvement in research.
Following an announcement made at the 2018 Patients First conference, which was jointly hosted by the AMRC and the ABPI, attendees were told that the standards aim to provide the public with “clear, concise benchmarks for effective public involvement”.
Representatives from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Chief Scientists Office, Health and Care Research Wales and the Public Health Agency teamed up during the past 18 months to establish the new set of six standards.
Mike Thompson, chief executive officer of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said: “Researching and developing new, life-changing medicines is best when done collaboratively.
“Today’s announcement from the NIHR sets out clear standards for how the pharmaceutical industry should work with patients to develop better vaccines and medicines.”
The standards will be launched across ten pilot sites in the UK including Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, the University of Glasgow, and the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research.
Simon Denegri, director of patients, carers and the public for the NIHR, said: “In the future, we want the standards to be seen by groups and organisations large and small, public, private and charitable, as an essential tool in guiding their public involvement.
“I firmly believe the pioneering partnership that has been at the heart of these standards all along can only strengthen their case in this regard.”
According to the ABPI, the representatives are encouraging as many groups and organisations as possible to use the standards in their workplace and share learning experiences.
Thompson concluded: “These standards will help ensure patients are at the heart of cutting-edge clinical research for much-needed diseases like cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.”