Backgrounds Clinical research drives clinical innovation. Contemporary academic trial sponsors, including Clinical Research Networks (CRNs) play an important role globally, enabling the completion of trials that change practice. Their success and productivity are largely influenced by efficient membership engagement to successfully create new ideas that can evolve into protocols that can attract funding. This paper identifies, describes and prioritises strategies that trial sponsors can offer to their members to assist in generating high-quality research.
Methods Drawing on the Theories of Evidence-Based Medicine and Implementation Science methods, this study analysed and studied published information from one Australian trial sponsor to identify, describe and investigate discrete strategies contributing to successful new idea creation in skin cancer. Successive data over three years was extracted, tabulated, grouped and deidentified. Using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, a multi-disciplinary team synthesised and interpreted the data.
Results During 2018–2020, 29 researchers contributed 53 new ideas; of these 25 (47%) evolved into protocols suitable for funding consideration. Seven key strategies were identified, defined, evaluated and ranked in order of importance: Quality trial sponsor staff and resources, Good Clinical Practice compliance, education and training initiatives, Scientific peer-review processes, Concept Development Workshops, Collaborative partnership opportunities, Promotion of funding opportunities and Consumer initiatives.
Conclusion We believe this study represents the first methodological study investigating the identification, exploration, and evaluation of strategies that academic trial sponsors can offer their members to develop high-quality cancer research ideas. These efforts may improve organisational efficiency and lead to improved patient outcomes.
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