Building health system readiness for precision cancer medicine through clinical trials
Testbed Sweden and Health Policy Network have developed a framework to help researchers design and run trials that support the integration of precision cancer medicine in practice.
Over the past two decades, precision medicine has transformed cancer care, moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to personalized treatments at the cellular level.
To ensure sustainable and equitable integration of precision cancer medicine (PCM), health systems are updating policies and practices. The new Implementation Framework for PCM Clinical Trials guides researchers in designing effective trials for this integration.
Testbed Sweden Precision Health Cancer and The Health Policy Partnership have created a framework to support researchers in evaluating the PCM ecosystem, ensuring health systems are prepared for scalable PCM. We welcome your feedback for future updates!
Foreword
Over the past two decades, there has been significant progression in the understanding, development and implementation of precision medicine. An increasing number of precisionmedicine initiatives have been launched globally – with many focusing on cancer care.
Precision cancer medicine (PCM) marks a shift from one-size-fits-all care to care that is personalised at the cellular level. With this shift, the way care is delivered changes profoundly, meaning thorough planning is required to ensure that PCM can be equitably and sustainably integrated in practice. Health systems are reacting to the growing demand for this type of care, and new policies and plans are being introduced regularly.
Clinical trials can be used to help prepare a health system to implement PCM at scale – as long as the trials are designed effectively. The Implementation Framework for PCM Clinical Trials has been developed to help researchers design and run trials that ultimately support health systems to implement PCM sustainably and equitably.
The framework is composed of a set of guiding questions that encourage users to systematically evaluate the broader ecosystem in which PCM implementation is to take place. By encouraging users to take a holistic approach, we hope the framework will support them to develop more effective PCM clinical trials, which can act as testbeds to ensure a health system is ready to implement PCM at scale.
This framework will need to be adapted as the PCM landscape evolves. This is the first iteration; we hope that updated versions will follow. Please do reach out to us if you use the framework, or if you would like to suggest updates.
Ebba Hallersjö Hult and Lucy Morgan