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National research initiatives
France
Germany
Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
National and regional research initiatives in Europe
The Research Steering Committee (RSC) decided to create a section on the site to collect and publish information about national and regional research initiatives. For its next meeting the RSC has invited the representatives of four groups. The RSC invites all EAPC members and readers to inform us about such initiatives.
FRANCE
Commission Recherche de la Société Française d'Accompagnement et Soins Palliatifs
Cette commission a été créé en Novembre 1999.
OBJECTIFS :
- Etre une facilitateur pour la recherche en soins palliatifs
- Renforcer la formation à la recherche en soins palliatifs
- Soutenir des projets de recherche
Lien à une association nationale : la SFAP
CONTACTS :
Secrétariat : +33 (0)1 45 75 43 86. E-mail : sfap@wanadoo.fr
Responsables de la Commission :
- Docteur Benoît BURUCOA
E-mail:
- Madame Evelyne MALAQUINPAVAN
E-mail:
- Docteur Eric KARIGER
E-mail:
Nombre de centres participants : pas d'inscription actuellement, mais potentiellement les adhérents de la SFAP et les structures spécifiques de soins palliatifs (USP, EMSP).
FINANCEMENT : Les donateurs de la SFAP, particulièrement la Fondation de France
ACTIVITES ET ETUDES EN COURS :
- Composition d'un article sur l'enquête auprès des adhérents sur la recherche en soins palliatifs :
- Organisation d'une journée de sensibilisation à Paris le 20 octobre 2000 (80 participants)
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Préparation de deux séminaires de formation pour les adhérents de la SFAP:
- l'un à Bordeaux les 29 et 30 juin 2001 sur les approches quantitatives
- l'autre à Paris les 26 et 27 octobre 2001 sur les approches qualitatives
- Préparation d'un guide d'aide à la recherche en soins palliatifs (parution prévue au début de l'année 2002).
GERMANY
Arbeitskreis Forschung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Palliativmedizin
(Working group on research of the German Association for Palliative Medicine)
Palliative care has seen a rapid development in Germany over the last few years, and the number of inpatient and outpatient services has increased steadily. However, research into palliative care still is scarce, and publications focus on cancer pain management with few exceptions. With the increasing number and scope of the palliative care units the discussion on quality assurance has been raised, and research in palliative care has been called for.
Following the growing demand on research in palliative care a working group has been established by the German Association for Palliative Medicine.
The working group had its initial meeting in 1999 and has since formed a network for research. A workshop on research has been organised by the working group during the German Palliative Care Congress last year. The working group is also involved in the development of a German core instrument for documentation of inpatient palliative care.
Future activities of the working group will cover several areas:
- A training workshop on research methodology which will be organised for the next palliative care congress
- Participants will be informed of ongoing and planned research projects and will be invited to participate in German and European projects
- Finally the working group will try to identify topics and aims for clinical trials with high relevance for the development of palliative care and will initiate clinical trials with the research network on these topics.
Physicians and nonphysicians working in palliative care throughout Germany are invited to join the network!
Contact:
Lukas Radbruch, Pain Clinic, Department of Anaesthesiology,
University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Tel: +49 221 478 4884.
Fax: +49 221 478 6785.
email:
website: http://www.dgpalliativmedizin.de/
SPAIN
Cooperative Group of Catalonia for Research in Palliative Care (CATPAL)
DIRECTOR ASSITANTS:
Dr Xavier Gómez Batiste
DIRECTOR ASSITANTS:
Dr Albert Tuca
Ms Esther Corrales
Information about this group was presented during the RSC meeting at the Palermo Congress and will be updated shortly.
Switzerland
The Working Group Research of the Swiss Society of Palliative Care (SSPC) includes presently research interested members of the board.
With the support of the Health Authorities a project to support sustained development of palliative care research in Switzerland, the Swiss Palliative Care Research Initiative, has been started.
Present situation in Switzerland
Many palliative care professionals in Switzerland are interested in and perform research projects. The posters and presentations reported (Strasser F. Swiss research and service projects reported at EAPC [Article in German, French, Italian]: Palliative-ch 2003;2:29-33, 35-39, 41-45.) and the interest of palliative care professionals in the new prospective SIAK (Swiss Institute of Applied Cancer Research) project group Symptom Control and Palliative Cancer Care (Strasser F. SIAK-Project Group «Symptom Control & Palliative Cancer Care» Schweizer Krebsbulletin 2003;1: 11-12 and [Article in German, Italian, French] Palliative-ch 2003;1:23-28.) (even though it is focused on research conducted by oncologist) suggest a reliable potential for further developing palliative care research.
Actually the projects are mostly performed locally, the quality of the projects is rarely of competitive quality (few articles in peer-reviewed journals), and the projects are seldom funded by sources other than the institutional support.
The training of palliative care professionals is not yet standardized, efforts are currently made to develop three standardized levels (basis, advanced, expert) of professional formation for palliative care physicians and nurses (Reports about Bigorio (three articles, one editorial). Palliative-ch 2003;1). Approximately less than a dozen persons did finish during the last years foreign masters or board certifications in palliative care. Only a handful of persons spent 6 or more months in a foreign institution to get training in and perform palliative care research.
Potential for multidisciplinary palliative care research significant to improve care of patients close to end-of-life: First step of PCRI
The main hypothesis is that the information about palliative care researcher, their projects significant to improve care of patients and families, and the identification of barriers for research, will provide a strategic tool to further promote research for these vulnerable patients.
Specific aim 1: To identify multidisciplinary professionals having an expressed interest in palliative care research.
Specific aim 2: To identify and review projects potentially significant to improve care of patients and relatives.
Specific aim 3: To identify barriers impeding research and assess research potential.
The project started in the winter/spring 2004 (Strasser F. Palliative-ch 2/2004).
Significance of research.
The results of Purpose-Swiss-PCRI step 1 may provide information on research capacities and research needs for patients with advanced, incurable, and progressive diseases and their families, relevant for the formulation of national research programs.
Contact
Florian Strasser, MD
Oncology & Palliative Medicine
Section Oncology/Haematology
Department Internal Medicine
Cantonal Hospital
Rorschacherstrasse
9007 St. Gallen
P. 071 494 11 11 (11 79)
F. 071 494 23 65
M. 079 401 58 73
and
UNITED KINGDOM
Palliative Care Research Forum of Great Britain and Ireland
Information about this group was presented during the RSC meeting at the Palermo Congress and will be updated shortly.
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