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Quality

The Polish Clinical Trials Network (PCTN) was set up on 11 March 2021 through an agreement between the Medical Research Agency and the Beneficiaries of the 1st edition call for proposals for the establishment and development of Clinical Trials Support Centres. It aims at implementing uniform, systemic solutions for quality and process management at institutions involved in conducting clinical trials in Poland. 

The common standards and clinical trial information management models in place within the Network are intended to make the Polish clinical trial market more attractive to sponsors, and particularly encourage them to use public sector institutions as venues for their research. Continuous implementation of new solutions is expected to have a direct impact on reinforcing Poland’s position in the clinical trial industry, boosting the competitive advantage of domestic infrastructure and its potential to support high quality research in order to promote more effective international cooperation. 

The PCTN is intended to ensure effective country-wide recruitment, streamline the feasibility process, as well as support the training of dedicated clinical trial staff. Consolidating the procedures for clinical trial performance, pricing and billing, as well as accelerating the contracting process, will contribute in the long term to optimising the costs of drug reimbursement and drug policies within the healthcare system. This will directly benefit Polish patients, who will be granted access to breakthrough innovative treatments with higher efficacy and better safety profiles.

Clinical Trials Support Centres (CTSC)

The idea behind creating dedicated Clinical Trials Support Centres was to harness the potential of Polish public facilities engaged in clinical trials, create a favourable environment for investigators to initiate non-commercial clinical trials (thus increasing the overall number of clinical trials conducted in Poland), and offer Polish patients better access to innovative technologies. The Signatories to the Agreement – and hence members of the Polish Clinical Trials Network – are 23 Clinical Trials Support Centres.

In 2020 and 2021, the Agency announced two editions of the call for proposals for establishing and developing Clinical Trials Support Centres (CTSCs) and one call for specialised oncology and hemato-oncology CTSCs (OncoCTSCs). The principal areas of funding are:
🔸Hiring highly qualified stuff, 
🔸Adaptation/modernisation of infrastructure,
🔸Purchase of quality and support systems,
🔸Staff training. 

As part of the first edition of the call (ABM/2020/3), the Agency earmarked approx. PLN 100 million to subsidise ten specialised facilities across the country. These were:
🔸Medical University of Gdansk
🔸Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw
🔸National Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Institute, name of prof. Eleonora Reicher in Warsaw
🔸Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw
🔸National Oncology Institute of Maria Sklodowska-Curie – National Research Institute (branch in Gliwice)
🔸Poznan University of Medical Sciences
🔸Wroclaw Medical University
🔸Medical University of Bialystok
🔸Medical University of Lodz
🔸Military Medical Institute in Warsaw

In the second edition of the call (ABM/2021/4), funding in the total amount of approx. PLN 50 million was granted to six institutions: 
🔸4th Military Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw
🔸Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw
🔸Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin
🔸Medical University of Silesia in Katowice
🔸Medical University of Lublin
🔸University of Opole

In support of the third edition of the call (ABM/2021/6), dedicated to oncology and hemato-oncology CTSCs (OncoCTSCs), the Agency provided approx. PLN 45 million to seven facilities:
🔸Lower Silesian Oncology Center in Wroclaw
🔸Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital – Research Institute in Lodz
🔸Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw
🔸Dr Alfred Sokolowski Specialist Hospital in Walbrzych
🔸Pomeranian Hospitals LLC
🔸Holy Cross Cancer Centre in Kielce
🔸Voivodeship Multi-Specialist Center for Oncology and Traumatology in Lodz

From among the 23 Beneficiaries of the calls for proposal for Clinical Trials Support Centres, 9 institutions have received funds for early phase clinical research.


In 2024, the Agency announced the next round of the call for proposals (2024/ABM/4/KPO) under the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience, Component D: Efficiency, Accessibility, and Quality of the Healthcare System, Investment D3.1.1: Comprehensive Development of Research in Medical and Health Sciences, for which approximately PLN 150 million has been allocated for 12 new CWBKs at the following institutions:

🔸Jagiellonian University - Medical College
🔸 Medical University of Warsaw
🔸 Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology - National Research Institute, Warsaw
🔸National Institute of Oncology Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute, Krakow Branch
🔸Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
🔸Wrocław University of Science and Technology
🔸Karol Marcinkowski University Hospital in Zielona Góra LLC
🔸Specialist Hospital in Brzozów, Podkarpackie Oncology Center named after Rev. B. Markiewicz
🔸 1st Military Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic, SPZOZ, Lublin
🔸Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration with the Warmia-Masuria Oncology Center in Olsztyn
🔸 5th Military Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic - Independent Public Healthcare Facility in Krakow
🔸Western Mazovia Health Center

Joint to the Polish Clinical Trials Network

Depending on the nature of your business or experience, you can join the Polish Clinical Trials Network (PCTN) as an Observer, Member or Partner.

Find out more by going to the MRA website.