October NUI Galway to Host 4th Annual Trial Methodology Symposium 2018

NUI Galway will host the 4^th Annual Trial Methodology Symposium 2018 at the Salthill Hotel on Thursday, 11 October from 9am-5pm. This flagship event brings together a host of individuals with an interest in trial methodology in Ireland.

The Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Network (HRB-TMRN) based at NUI Galway, will welcome some of the world’s leading experts in trial methodology to the symposium with the theme for this year’s event entitled ‘Methodological Innovations in Randomised Trials’.

Randomised trials, which can include clinical trials, healthcare interventions, clinical evaluations and behaviour change interventions, are studies conducted to evaluate the potential benefits and risks of healthcare interventions such as new medical treatments, and which provide the best evidence base for informing decisions on the effects of interventions.

These are exciting and challenging times for clinical trials. The number and variety of treatments available is growing, increasing pressure on researchers to determine how these compare to current treatments. However, rising costs and regulations can make these trials expensive and complex. Now more than ever, high quality research is needed to ensure that the right trials are carried out, in the right way, and reported fairly and clearly. The HRB-TMRN promotes and encourages collaborative methodological research relevant to trials, to accelerate implementation of the most effective and appropriate methods to improve the quality of trials and ultimately, patient care.

Those attending the symposium can expect a day filled with presentations from the world’s leading experts on innovative trial methodologies. Attendees will hear about a range of topics such as how novel methods are applied in clinical trials, the role of novel design in the trialist’s toolkit, innovative trial methodologies and robust evaluation of interventions, new opportunities for methodological innovation, and the future of evidence-based medicine in research, education, and clinical care.

Guest speakers at the event include: Professor Gordon Guyatt, McMaster University; Professor Deborah Ashby, Imperial College London and founding co-director of Imperial Clinical Trials Unit; Professor Marion Campbell, Health Services Research Unit; Professor David Richards, University of Exeter; and Matt Sydes, University of London.

Professor Declan Devane, Scientific Director of the HRB-TMRN at NUI Galway, said: “We are delighted that through the HRB-TMRNs growing reputation and increasing membership, it has attracted such an eminent panel of speakers to share their wisdom and expertise with us. We have no doubt that they will provoke and stimulate us to think more deeply about trial methodology and the part we can all play in ensuring that the science of how we do trials makes a meaningful contribution to how people experience healthcare.”

Early booking is advised to secure a place. To register, visit: www.eventbrite.ie and search for ‘4th Trial Methodology Symposium’.

For more information about the HRB-TMRN, visit: https://www.hrb-tmrn.ie/ or follow on Twitter @hrbtmrn.

-Ends-