Frequently asked questions

Questions & Answers

What is a ‘research suggestion’?

A recommendation of something which should be researched - it can be a drug, a procedure, a piece of equipment, a process, etc. See our ‘what is HTA’ and ‘make a research suggestion’ pages.

How do I make a suggestion?

Anyone can fill in the suggestion form on our website at any time - ALL suggestions are considered. Visit our 'make a research suggestion' page for more details.

Can I use the suggestion form to ask for funds for my own project?

No - sorry: the suggestion form feeds into our commissioned research workstream where we identify topics for research and then advertise for a research team to carry out the work. We operate a response-funding mode for primary research only, visit our funding opportunities page for more details.

I'm interested in a particular research question- can you tell me if you are doing anything on it?

We suggest you try our ‘search’. Simply type the words you are interested in into the search box. Or you can try our advanced search which allows you to search on the clinical areas or categories that interest you. You can also browse our list of ongoing projects or our list of publications.

How do I find out what a particular project is about?

There are details for every HTA project. These pages contain abstracts (where available), estimated publication dates, the allocated cost and the grantholder's details.

How can I find out when a particular journal issue is going to be published?

Please see our projects pages. These are usually updated every week and contain details of all HTA projects together with estimated publication dates. In addition each project details page has an 'alert me when published' button you can click on and follow the instructions to register yourself for an email alert when the project is published.

Can I get hold of a pre-publication copy of a journal issue?

No. We do not release copies until the author(s) have carried out the final revisions.

How do I comment on a journal issue published by the programme?

You can make your views known by entering your comments in our correspondence page.

If you can't fund my project can you tell me who can?

Try these three websites where you can find details of grant making organisations. However we can't guarantee that they can help you.

RD Info
A digest of health related research funding and training opportunities.

Wellcome Trust Sources of Funding
This database contains descriptions of funding schemes supporting biomedical research.

Association of Medical Research Charities
Aims to further medical research in the UK

The Department of Health 'Working with other research funders' page may also be of interest.

Our company has developed a new piece of equipment and I want to get it assessed or approved. Who do I contact about this?

The name 'HTA' can give the impression that the programme is there to inspect or report on pieces of equipment. HTA doesn't do this. In fact the term 'Health Technology' refers to any health intervention (see our 'what is hta' page for more details). If you are a commercial enterprise and you wish to do business with the NHS we suggest you take a look at these UK government websites: the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Centre for Evidence Based Purchasing, the National Innovation Centre

Would my primary research idea be of interest to the HTA programme or the EME programme?

The HTA and EME programmes have worked together to produce a document to help clarify some of the differences between the two programmes. The aim of the document is to make it easier for you to decide which research programme it would be most appropriate for you to submit a proposal to. Please click the link below to view the document.

Is there any training available in Health Technology Assessment?

We don’t offer training in HTA, but some institutions offer training courses in HTA. These include:

Who is the sponsor of my trial commissioned by the HTA programme?

Trials involving medicinal products must comply with "The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004" (The Regulations). In the case of such trials, the Department of Health (DH) expects the employing institution of the chief investigator to be nominated as the sponsor. Other institutions may wish to take on this responsibility or agree co-sponsorship with the employing institution. The DH is prepared to accept the nomination of multiple sponsors. Applicants who are asked to submit a full proposal will need to obtain confirmation of a sponsor(s) to complete their application. The DH reserves the right to withdraw from funding the project if it is not satisfied with the arrangements put in place to conduct the trial.

The MHRA can provide guidance as to whether your trial would be covered by the regulations. The Clinical Trials Toolkit website also contains the latest information about Clinical Trials regulations and a helpful FAQ page.

For more FAQs about developing and submitting research proposals, visit the troubleshooting pages of our funding opportunities section.

Where can I get advice on getting NHS permissions for research?

The National Institute for Health Research Coordinated System for Gaining NHS Permission (NIHR CSP) will be rolled out during 2008.

A system is being developed which will ensure clinical research studies are approved quickly through a consistent and streamlined process whilst addressing all quality assurance and statutory research requirements.

It will be delivered by a national CSP Unit based in the UK Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre. The Unit will be supported by teams of staff based within the 25 Comprehensive Local Research Networks who will work closely with their constituent NHS organisations.

For more information, visit the NIHR CSP pages on the UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN) website.

 

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