CA17117 Towards an International Network for Evidence-based Research in Clinical Health Research

The COST Action EVBRES will establish an international European-based network aiming to raise awareness of the need to use of SRs when planning new studies and when placing new results in context. At present: Thirty-six European countries have signed up for EVBRES. The Action Management Committee have 59 members, 42 substitutes, and 1 from a near neighbour country (Lebanon) and one from an international partner country (USA). In addition to the participants in the management structure of EVBRES more than 60 others are participating in the activities of EVBRES. These is primarily from Europe, but there are also participants from Canada, USA, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, India, Hong Kong (China) and Australia.

The 1st EVBRES was a success as 83 showed up. All WGs and Activity Groups was populated and could discuss and make plans during the workshop. Very detailed plans were prepared. Challenges and issues related to carrying out the plans were identified and the Program Management Group, the Core Group, and the Action MC is now dealing with these challenges. Connections between participants were made, and the boat trip was perfect for creating this kind of contacts. The boat trip lasted from 3.00pm to 6.00pm, and it created a strong environment for connecting with others as everyone could walk around at the boat and sit down and talk. Almost all participants in the workshop participated in the boat trip. In addition, the dinner - besides the possibility to connect - also created a feeling of belonging to a community. All virtual and email contacts after the workshop showed that the intention of the workshop to create a community and trust was achieved.

This application to NRC is for funds to arrange the first large network gathering for CA17117 EVBRES, including MC, work group and core group meetings in Bergen 3.-6. February 2019. The summary of the CA17117 EVBRES is: Redundant clinical research has been published due to the absent use of systematic reviews (SR) when new research is planned. It is unethical, limits the available funding for important and relevant research, and diminishes the public’s trust in research. In order to raise awareness of this inappropriate practice, the EVBRES-consortium defines Evidence-Based Research (EBR) as the use of prior research in a systematic and transparent way to inform a new study so that it answers the questions that matter in a valid, efficient and accessible manner. New studies should be informed by SRs as to the most appropriate design and methods. EVBRES will establish an international European-based network aiming to raise awareness of the need to use of SRs when planning new studies and when placing new results in context. PhD students and senior clinical researchers’ needs to learn how to find, critically appraise and update a SR, answering the same clinical question the new study plans to answer. Closely related to this is the involvement and awareness of related stakeholders, including patients, research ethics committees (RECs), funding agencies (RFAs) and scientific journals, to require SRs before approval of new clinical studies. By acknowledging and implementing an EBR approach these stakeholders can improve their own practice and can increase the incentives for clinical researchers to use an EBR approach. Further, EVBRES will catalyse more efficient updating and production of SRs, and monitor the implementation of an EBR approach both in clinical research and among related stakeholders.