The Nordic Trial Alliance is a NordForsk project that aims to facilitate clinical research cooperation in the Nordic region. The purpose of NTA is to make it easier to carry out clinical research in the Nordic countries with focus on cooperation on clinical multi-centre trials. NTA was initiated under the Norwegian Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2017 and operates between 2017-2021.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a huge need for new knowledge related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in order to develop vaccines, treatments etc. Conducting trials or research cooperation at the Nordic level could be one way of generating such knowledge but also for Nordic patients to participate in trials. Joint Nordic activities will also promote knowledge transfer across the region as well as help establishing research infrastructures for future trials. Making use of the Nordic registers and health care data could support such research.
NTA hereby invites proposals for activities aiming to promote Nordic cooperation related to COVID-19 research. The call for proposals is based on the recent research priorities defined by the WHO. A proposal could for example include (one or several) activities related to:
- knowledge transfer
- infrastructure establishment
- Nordic coordination of national initiatives incl. trials
- planning of joint Nordic initiatives
- data sharing and interoperability
- establishing networks
- monitoring
- preparedness for future pandemics
that will strengthen Nordic collaboration and knowledge transfer, with a concrete outcome that will enhance Nordic clinical research cooperation and contribute to the global knowledge related to COVID-19.
Representatives of Nordic research performing organisations, public sector, patient organisations or other relevant organisations are eligible to apply. Companies may not receive funding from NTA although they may take part in activities at their own costs. An activity should include participants from minimum three Nordic countries.
Proposals should be 2-3 A4 pages and include a description of the activity with focus on how it aims to promote COVID-19 research in the Nordic countries. In addition, a CV for the main applicant is allowed, maximum 1 A4 page. The activity should preferably be initiated in 2020. Each activity may apply for maximum 500 000 NOK. The total available funding for the call is 2 000 000 NOK. A tentative budget should be included according the template. The budget should display Nordic cooperation.
The proposal should describe how participants from the Nordic countries will be involved and include a plan for how to disseminate its results. The Nordic added value of the results should be made clear. The proposal must describe how it will secure coordination with other ongoing activities at the international, Nordic or national level in order not to overlap or put extra pressure on an already stressed health care system.
NTA supports the Wellcome Trust statement that research findings and data relevant to COVID-19 outbreak are shared rapidly and openly to inform the public health response and help save lives.
The proposals should be submitted to the NTA project coordinator Maria Nilsson at maria.nilsson@nordforsk.org by 15 April 2020. Decision of support will be taken by NTA in April 2020.