Task 8.2.6 – Clinical Trials: Overview and Initiatives

Within WP8, Task 8.2.6 focuses on building a collaborative network to strengthen clinical trial capacity across Cancer Centers and Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs). The task aims to improve equitable access to clinical trials for patients across Europe by supporting cross‑border collaboration, streamlining trial processes, and sharing practical expertise. Through coordinated activities,

Task 8.2.6 contributes to a more consistent, efficient, and patient‑centered clinical trial landscape.

Objectives of Task 8.2.6

(1) Ensure equitable access to clinical trials: Increase patient awareness and participation, supporting access to innovative therapies across Europe;

(2) Promote cross‑border collaboration and knowledge exchange: Share expertise, facilitate mobility of patients and investigational drugs, and connect basic, translational, and clinical research;

(3) Strengthen Europe as a preferred location for clinical trials: Accelerate enrollment by aligning processes with patient needs and sponsor requirements;

(4) Streamline clinical trial management: Reduce administrative and regulatory burdens by disseminating best practices and integrating efforts through a shared platform.

Ongoing Initiatives:

1. Clinical Trials Exchange Program – Cross‑Border Visits (2025–2026): Task 8.2.6 coordinated the Clinical Trials Exchange Program, a series of 1.5‑day cross‑border visits designed to support practical, peer‑to‑peer learning across Europe’s clinical trial community. The program brought together both established clinical trial units and emerging sites, creating opportunities to compare workflows, discuss operational challenges, and identify concrete improvements.

What the Exchange Program Offered: - Institutional presentations and overviews - Expert discussions focused on shared challenges and practical solutions - Integrated site tours to observe workflows, systems, and daily practice

Who Participated: - Clinicians and principal investigators, focusing on trial readiness, recruitment pathways, and long‑term retention - Clinical trial managers, study coordinators, and research nurses, exploring organizational tools, digital systems, and daily trial management

Feedback and Impact: - Participants consistently emphasized the value of networking and learning from different perspectives, noting that seeing how other centers organize teams, streamline processes, and use digital tools often revealed solutions they had not previously considered.

• Shared challenges across Europe, which reduced the sense of working in isolation and increased motivation to improve collectively.
• The importance of clearer role distribution, particularly for clinical trial nurses, and the need for more standardized workflows to strengthen coordination and oversight.
• The benefit of multidisciplinary collaboration, especially when comparing recruitment pathways, workflow organization, and practical tools used in daily trial management. 

Several visits resulted in follow‑up collaborations, including a joint project initiated after the exchange at VHIO to address a common operational bottleneck.

Overall, the program strengthened peer connections and supported practical improvements to trial delivery across Europe. Participating Institutions and Schedule (Oct 2025 – Jan 2026)

 📍 Cork University Hospital (Ireland) | 14–15 Oct 2025 Attending: Skåne University Hospital (Sweden); Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital (Latvia)

📍 CCC Niedersachsen Göttingen/Hannover & Hannover Medical School (Germany) | 29–30 Oct 2025 Attending: Unidade Local de Saúde Santa Maria (Portugal); Karolinska University Hospital (Sweden)

📍 Helsinki University Hospital (Finland) | 30–31 Oct 2025 Attending: Cork Cancer Trials Unit (Ireland); National Cancer Institute (Slovakia); Vall Hebron Institute of Oncology (Spain) 

📍 Vall Hebron Institute of Oncology (Spain) | 19–20 Nov 2025 Attending: Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (Slovenia); Sahlgrenska CCC Gothenburg (Sweden); Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre (Cyprus)

📍 Karolinska University Hospital (Sweden) | 26–27 Jan 2026 Attending: National Cancer Center Vilnius & Kaunas Hospital (Lithuania); CCC Niedersachsen/Hannover (Germany); Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2. Academic CRO Series – Online Thematic Expert Meetings: In parallel, Task 8.2.6 hosted a series of online expert meetings focused on strengthening operational capacity within Academic CROs. These sessions brought together professionals from Cancer Centers and CCCs to exchange practical experience and discuss real‑world solutions.

Session 1 (29 October 2025): Establishing an Academic CRO Speakers shared insights on governance structures, team roles, SOP development, sustainability, data protection, and interactions with ethics committees. With around 80 participants, the session provided a strong foundation for continued exchange.

Session 2 (10 December 2025): Daily Operations in Academic CROs This session focused on project management, monitoring, feasibility assessment, budgeting, invoicing, and quality management in investigator‑initiated trials. Real‑world examples and case studies highlighted common challenges and practical recommendations. Participation again reached nearly 80 attendees.

Value and Impact

The Academic CRO series support more consistent operational approaches across Europe and strengthens quality and compliance in academic clinical trials. 

Contact For any further questions about Task 8.2.6 activities or participation:

Dina Dabaghie: dina.dabaghie@regionstockholm.se 

Katarina Risbecker: katarina.risbecker@regionstockholm.se 

Christina Stangl: christinastangl@vhio.net

Marina Pavanello: marina.pavanello@ulssm.min-saude.pt