The Nordic Trial Alliance (NTA) is a NordForsk project to facilitate clinical research co-operation in the Nordic Region and focus on multi-centre clinical trials.
Several major health challenges have created an urgent need to push clinical research forward. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an example of how international research co-operation has brought about rapid advances in medical knowledge, thanks in part to data-sharing and open-access publishing. Although this research is often international, the Nordic context is still important. For example, regional co-operation at the Nordic level could serve as a platform for European co-operation or for pilot testing. Joint Nordic activities will promote knowledge transfer across the region and help to put in place the research infrastructure needed for future trials. More trials in the Nordic countries means increased access to the latest treatments for our patients.
Our high-quality research and publicly funded healthcare, along with our registers and biobanks, make the Nordic countries attractive partners in international projects. There is also significant potential for increased participation in international consortia and attracting funding that would benefit Nordic research. Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation and offers numerous opportunities to apply for health-research funding. It has also set up five “Missions” to deliver solutions to major challenges for Europe – including a Mission on Cancer. In addition, the new EU4Health initiative will go beyond crisis response to address healthcare systems’ resilience.
NTA hereby invites proposals for activities that promote Nordic co-operation on clinical research. More specifically, the purpose of this call is to support activities that aim to build a Nordic platform for participation in upcoming activities at European level, e.g. within Horizon Europe and EU4Health.
The proposals could include (one or several) activities related to:
– Nordic networks/platforms for international co-operation
– Nordic co-ordination of national initiatives (incl. trials)
– pilot projects
– infrastructure development.
Activities should strengthen Nordic collaboration and knowledge transfer and deliver concrete outcomes that enhance Nordic clinical research co-operation.
Representatives of Nordic research organisations, the public sector, patient organisations or other relevant bodies are eligible to apply. Constellations involving partners from different sectors are also encouraged. Nordic partners must be eligible for government funding in their home country. Commercial companies may not receive funding from NTA, although they may participate in activities at their own expense. The activities should include participants from minimum three Nordic countries.
Proposals should be 2–3 A4 pages and include a description of the activity, focusing on how it will promote clinical research co-operation both in the Nordic countries and in a European context. You must also clearly describe the Nordic added value. The proposal should also include a CV for the main applicant (max. 1 A4 page). The proposed activity will preferably be initiated in early 2022 and completed by 2024 at the latest. Each activity may apply for a maximum of NOK 400,000 in total. The total available funding for the call is NOK 2,000,000. Along with the proposal, you must submit a provisional budget based on the template and clearly marks elements relating to Nordic co-operation.
Download budget template (Excel)
The proposal should describe the inclusion of participants from the Nordic countries, and include a plan for disseminating the results. You must clearly describe the Nordic added value of the results along with the concrete outcomes of the Nordic activity.
You must submit your proposals to NTA project coordinator Maria Nilsson (maria.nilsson@nordforsk.org) by 19 November 2021. NTA will issue funding decisions in mid-December 2021.