Key programmes supporting interventions and evaluations in population health sciences research
The funders of health and medical research in the UK aim to work together to expand and advance the evidence base in order to improve health and decrease disease.
MRC and NIHR recognise the value of complementary schemes run in parallel and exchange information in order to ensure the strengths of different schemes are best realised.
The following summary is intended to help clarify, to the research community, the highlights of, and differences between, four key schemes.
National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI) [external link to MRC website]
Key Points
Jurisdiction: UK-wide
Setting: NHS and non-NHS
Research focus: Cross-disciplinary research which develops, tests or evaluates interventions that can potentially have a major impact on population health, using the full range of evaluation methods, including experimental and quasi-experimental (or observational) designs and natural experiments
Disease focus: Chronic non-communicable including certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke and dementia
Costs: covers intervention costs; includes FEC on research costs at ca. 65-75% variable across different Calls; follows ARCO for NHS costs
Budget: ca £10 million for Phase 4 Call in 2010/11, FEC at ca. 68%
General Description
The National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI) is a UK-wide jointly-funded initiative supported by government departments, research councils and medical charities working together to encourage and support research into chronic non-communicable disease prevention. The core aim is to provide funds and infrastructure support to increase the amount of high quality research aimed at preventing new cases of major preventable diseases and conditions such as certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke and dementia.
It supports research, both inside and outside of the NHS setting, by addressing health behaviours at the level of the individual, community or population, and with consideration of environmental factors. Relevant behaviours include physical activity, diet, alcohol misuse and tobacco use.
The focus of the Phase-4 Call in 2010 is to support cross-disciplinary research which develops, tests or evaluates interventions that can potentially have a major impact on population health, using the full range of evaluation methods, including experimental and quasi-experimental (or observational) designs and natural experiments. Interventions with a strong element of joint or communal exposure - characteristic of population-level and community-level interventions - are especially welcome but applications will also be received for individual-level interventions.
Research funded through the Call will be translational and must be relevant to, or directly impact on, policy and/or practice.
The rate of Full Economic Costs to be paid on eligible research costs will reflect the partnership and are likely to be in the region of 68% of FEC. Intervention costs outside of the NHS-setting will be treated as research costs. NHS Support Costs and Treatment Costs will be met according to ARCO Guidance*.
The size of the next NPRI call (Phase 4) in 2010/11 is ca. £10 million, FEC at ca. 68%.
* Attributing revenue costs of externally funded non-commercial research in the NHS (ARCO), Department of Health (December 2005).
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Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme
Key Points
Jurisdiction: UK-wide
Setting: NHS and non-NHS
Research focus: Science-driven late phase clinical trials (phase 2b/3 trials) focussed on efficacy and mechanism. Pilot and feasibility studies will be considered where linked to substantive evaluations.
Disease focus: Any
Costs: includes FEC on research costs at 80%; NHS Support Costs and Treatment Costs according to ARCO Guidance.
Budget: £13 million in 2010/11.
General description
The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme is part of the NIHR and MRC coordinated strategy for clinical trials. The programme is funded by the MRC as the focus for its future investment in late phase clinical trials (phase 2b/3 trials). The programme is managed by the NIHR as the lead organisation for clinical trials and evaluation.
The programme is broadly aimed at supporting 'science driven' studies with an expectation of substantial health gain through improving health or patient care. Studies are likely to be mostly randomised controlled trials but other forms of evaluation appropriate for the intervention under study will also be supported. Its remit includes clinical trials and evaluative studies - in patients - which:
- evaluate clinical efficacy of interventions (where proof of concept in humans has already been achieved);
- add to our understanding of biological or behavioural mechanisms and processes;
- explore new scientific or clinical principles; and
- include the development or testing of new methodologies.
The budget is predicted to be £13 million in 2010/11.
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Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme
Key Points
Jurisdiction: UK-wide
Setting: NHS
Research focus: Effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests in the NHS. Pilot and feasibility studies will be considered where linked to substantive evaluations.
Disease focus: Communicable and non-communicable
Costs: includes FEC on research costs at 80% for HEI and 100% for non-HEI; NHS Support Costs and Treatment Costs according to ARCO Guidance.
Budget: ca £51 million in 2010/11
General Description
The long-established, UK-wide NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme delivers research information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests in the NHS. It includes systematic reviews and primary research of preventive and public health interventions delivered within or commissioned by the NHS.
The predicted budget in 2010/11 is £51 million.
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Public Health Research (PHR) programme
Key Points
Jurisdiction: UK-wide
Setting: non-NHS
Research focus: Effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and evaluation of public health interventions. Pilot and feasibility studies will be considered where linked to substantive evaluations.
Disease focus: Communicable and non-communicable
Costs: does not cover intervention costs; includes FEC on research costs at 80% for HEI and 100% for non HEI
Budget: ca £10 million in 2010/11
General Description
The NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) Programme, which supports research across the UK, provides public sector funding to support research outside the NHS setting in both communicable and non-communicable disease, and across a wide range of health behaviours. The scope of the NIHR PHR programme is multi-disciplinary and broad. The main focus of the NIHR PHR programme’s evaluation of public health interventions will be on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. However, broader impact, as well as acceptability to the target community and wider society, are also important to the impact and sustainability of public health programmes, and, where relevant, will also be investigated.
The value of the programme is £10 million in 2010/11.
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