News Item
200 million DKK strengthens patient-oriented research in Denmark
Independent Research Fund Denmark has just allocated nearly DKK 200 million to 62 innovative ideas within patient-oriented, clinical, and independent research. The funds enhance patient-oriented research in areas such as ALS, heart failure, and chronic pain.
The new funds will be allocated to improved diagnostics and treatment of e.g. childhood asthma, atrial fibrillation in the heart, and menstrual migraine. The nearly DKK 200 million for clinical and independent research will support independent and researcher-initiated experiments and studies in areas with limited commercial interest or opportunities for external funding, for example, from foundations.
It is the second consecutive year that Independent Research Fund Denmark has been tasked with distributing funds to strengthen clinical research. Chairman of Independent Research Fund Denmark, Jørgen Frøkiær, states:
"It is a research area that is important for the entire society. Clinicians work closely with patients, and this provides the opportunity to finance research ideas that have direct relevance for patients and significant clinical potential but may not attract substantial commercial interest. This can be within areas such as chronic pain, osteoarthritis, or infectious diseases, which many people suffer from."
Chief Physician and Professor Henrik Toft Sørensen, Chair of the Thematic Committee for Strengthened Clinical and Independent Research and Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine - Clinical Epidemiological Department, Aarhus University states that:
"Clinical research is extremely important. Clinical research encompasses, among other things, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention, which are core areas within the healthcare system. So, this fund targets the core functions of the healthcare system, enabling the initiation of research activities of very high quality that will ultimately benefit the patients."
A total of 295 applications were submitted, and research funds were allocated to 62 projects at hospitals and universities across the country. Each of the original research ideas received between approximately 2.2 - 4.3 million DKK, and the research projects typically run for 3 - 4.5 years.
Please note that the mentioned amounts are subject to change after the upcoming budget review.
Nearly DKK 200 million has been allocated to a total of 62 new research projects that will investigate the effectiveness of new treatment methods and the potential for improving existing treatments. The success rate is 21% measured in both the number of applications and the approved amounts.
Clinical research is briefly described as the practically oriented part of health research, which, among other things, involves describing patients' disease profiles and courses, assessing diagnostic methods, and testing various forms of treatment, including independent and researcher-initiated trials, studies, etc., and in areas where there is limited commercial interest or the possibility of external funding, for example, from foundations.
The nearly DKK 200 million for strengthened clinical and independent research was allocated as part of the political agreements in 2023 on the distribution of the research reserve.