MRC Funding: Joint Global Health Trials scheme – launch of fourth call for proposals

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The UK Department for International Development, the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust are pleased to jointly announce the launch of the fourth call for proposals under this initiative to fund global health trials.
Background
DfID, MRC and the Wellcome Trust each have a strong history of supporting research that aims to improve health in low and middle income countries. The three partner agencies share the view that in order to have maximum impact on health we need to work together to provide evidence of the best, and most appropriate interventions. Pooling resources brings the necessary funds and experience together to achieve implementable results which address health problems affecting low and middle income countries. Together we will invest up to a total of £15 million for the fourth call to be launched under the joint global health trials partnership. The costs will be shared equally between the three funders.
Objectives and remit
The purpose of this scheme is to provide funding for the best proposals to generate new knowledge about interventions that will contribute to the improvement of health in low and middle income countries.
The programme will give priority to proposals that are likely to produce implementable results and that are designed to address the major causes of mortality or morbidity in low and middle income countries.
This scheme is primarily focused on late stage (equivalent to phase III/IV*) clinical and health intervention trials evaluating efficacy and effectiveness. The scheme is aimed at funding Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs), although other types of methodologies may be used alongside the RCT to explore implementation and operational issues. In certain circumstances researchers may wish to propose methods other than an RCT; if this is the case the reasons for adopting a different method must be clarified in the proposal.
*Please note that this scheme will not include support for registration of pharmaceutical products.
Phase IIb trials of major relevance to the objectives of this scheme may be permitted. If you are considering submitting a phase IIb trial, please consult one of the partner agencies involved for further guidance.
The scheme is open to the best proposals which address any major health related problem affecting low and middle income countries, particularly those that affect the most vulnerable populations. Although the breadth of the scheme is deliberately wide, we particularly welcome proposals for research into chronic non-communicable diseases, in recognition of the increasing burden of these conditions in low and middle income countries. We also welcome innovative proposals which address reproductive, maternal and newborn health.
The scope of the scheme encompasses interventions of all kinds, including, but not limited to, behavioural interventions, complex interventions, disease management, drugs, vaccines, hygiene and diagnostic strategies.
Issues to consider which would strengthen your proposal:
It is important that the results of research funded under this scheme are implementable; we therefore encourage applicants to include, where relevant, health systems, economics and operational research in their proposals to provide lessons relevant to scale-up.Proposers are encouraged to include social science and health economics expertise to ensure that the interventions are appropriate, acceptable and applicable to their target populations and that the social, cultural and economic barriers to uptake are examined.Strong partnership links with institutions and policy makers in low and middle income countries will be important to the long-term impact of the research funded. This should be considered when applicants are preparing their consortia.An underlying principle of support is that the proposed trials should, as far as it is practicable, be fully developed and costed before they are allowed to start. Progress will be monitored throughout the lifetime of the trial.One objective of this scheme is to promote interventions with a significant potential impact. Therefore, we invite the applicants to comment on the broader applicability of the intervention, if appropriate.
Support is conditional on the host institution being able to demonstrate that they are able to conduct the trial to the standards set out in the MRC guidelines for good clinical practice in clinical trials. Under this scheme it is expected that the host institute will be the sponsor of the trial. Support will be conditional on all required ethical, legal and regulatory approvals being obtained before the trial commences.
The scheme is targeted at trials led by academic groups, and not at trials led by commercial companies or product development partnerships (PDPs). However, applications are welcome from investigators from academic institutions who wish to collaborate with commercial companies or PDPs.
Geographical scope: Studies funded through this scheme should be based in countries with low or middle income economies. World Bank definitions of low and middle income economies can be found at the following webpage: http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications
Preference at the evaluation stage will be given to studies based in low and middle income countries in the following regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific. The scheme also encourages Principal Investigators from these regions.
The geographical scope of the call is flexible but in all instances the choice of location and relevance to the problems considered should be addressed in the proposal.
for more information visit: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Calls/Jointghtrials/MRC006855