Enhancing Clinical Research in Portugal: PtCRIN's unites national Scientific Societies

PtCRIN: Strengthening Clinical Research in Portugal

As part of the national effort to enhance clinical research, PtCRIN (Portuguese Clinical Research Infrastructure Network)?plays a crucial role in streamlining the implementation and conduct of investigator-initiated clinical trials (IICTs) across all disease areas. With a strong commitment to improving both the quantity and quality of clinical research, PtCRIN fosters international collaboration and the generation of robust evidence essential for clinicians and decision-makers to adopt safe and cost-effective therapeutic strategies. It also works to bring together key stakeholders from across the country and hosted its first event to unite the national scientific societies.

PtCRIN Kicks Off 2025 with Key Event on Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials

PtCRIN, in collaboration with ECRIN, marked the beginning of 2025 with a significant in-person event titled "Fostering Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials in Portugal: A Multidisciplinary Workshop Across Scientific Societies." Held on January 24th at the main auditorium of ULS Coimbra, the event attracted around 200 participants, including representatives from scientific societies, clinical researchers, healthcare professionals, and other key stakeholders involved in IICTs.

This workshop provided a collaborative platform to identify and address critical steps for strengthening IICTs in Portugal. It showcased national expertise and available infrastructures, including PtCRIN and ECRIN, while fostering collaboration among scientific societies to enhance clinical research initiatives. The event also focused on developing strategies to advance clinical research in Portugal and ensure that investigator-led studies receive the necessary support, infrastructure, and recognition.

The discussions highlighted key challenges and priorities for advancing IICTs in Portugal. Several strategies emerged from the event, including:

• Advocating for the recognition of a medical-investigator career path, with clearly defined professional development opportunities for clinician-investigators.
• Ensuring the effective implementation of legally recognised protected research time, enabling investigators to dedicate sufficient time and resources to clinical research.
• Integrating clinical research contributions into institutional productivity evaluations and aligning clinical research with hospital service planning for better synergy between research and patient care.
• Increase funding for clinical research by promoting specific calls for Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (IICTs)
• Enhancing patient involvement by actively engaging patient associations throughout the research design and implementation process.
• Streamlining communication between scientific societies and research institutions to improve collaboration and resource-sharing.
• Raising awareness of PtCRIN’s services within scientific societies to ensure that investigators understand the full range of support available to them.

By organising this event, PtCRIN laid the groundwork for stronger national collaboration, emphasising the importance of IICTs and providing an invaluable opportunity for scientific societies to align efforts, exchange best practices, and identify collaborative pathways to further enhance Portugal’s clinical research ecosystem. It reinforced Portugal’s commitment to positioning itself as a hub for high-quality, investigator-driven clinical research. Our insights and enthusiasm reaffirm the importance of collective action to strengthen IICTs and drive progress in clinical research. We are grateful for the overwhelming participation and commitment to advancing this cause.

PtCRIN, A National Network Driving Excellence

PtCRIN is recognised in the Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures (RNIE), highlighting its significance within the national scientific ecosystem. PtCRIN thrives as a consortium of 26 prestigious national institutions, bringing together clinical research experts from diverse backgrounds.

This collaborative network consists of:

• Clinical Trial Units (CTUs), providing specialised support for trial implementation and management.
• Healthcare Institutions and Clinical Research Centers, fostering patient-centered research.
• Universities and Research Centers, driving innovation and scientific advancement.

Through this structure, Portuguese clinical research institutions and investigators can leverage PtCRIN’s label while securing funding from regional, public, and private sources, ensuring sustained progress in clinical research.

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AIBILI maintains a Data Centre Certification from ECRIN, and is currently the only ECRIN Certified Data Centre in the Iberian Peninsula.

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A Comprehensive Support System for Clinical Trials

At the core of PtCRIN's operations is a network of six academic Clinical Trial Units (CTUs)/ academic Contract Research Organizations (CROs), each offering a broad range of specialized services designed to support clinical studies at every stage. These CTUs play a pivotal role in the planning, coordination, and execution of clinical trials. PtCRIN’s CTUs ensure that IICTs are conducted with scientific rigour, operational efficiency, and strict adherence to ethical and regulatory standards. The experience gained in IICTs enhances the expertise of clinical teams, improving trial methodologies, patient recruitment strategies, and regulatory compliance—elements that directly benefit commercial trials. By fostering a culture of scientific inquiry and methodological excellence, PtCRIN’s CTUs contribute to advancing clinical research while reinforcing Portugal’s reputation as a hub for high-quality, impactful studies on a national and international scale.

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