New national costing process will give companies and the NHS a clear and consistent way of costing clinical research studies

A new costing initiative will shortly be launched which, for the first time, will offer a transparent and consistent method for calculating the costs associated with running a commercial clinical study in the NHS.

The process has been developed by the UK Clinical Research Network in close consultation with key stakeholders from industry, the NHS and the research community. It aims to tackle the problem of inconsistent costing of studies and to ensure that NHS Trusts are fully reimbursed for the services they provide.

Companies conducting clinical research studies in the UK were often faced with widely varying costs depending on the location of the site or Trust they were working with. In the majority of cases, costings were based on estimations which led to NHS Trusts either charging too much or not being able to recoup the funding they needed for the services they were providing.

The new transparent costing process will bring an end to this problem by offering both companies and Trusts a clear method of calculating their costs. The process will identify standard rates for staff time, overheads, capacity building, service support costs and investigations and will provide clear guidance for both the companies and the public sector. It will also ensure that the cost of commercial studies stays at a reasonable level to ensure the UK remains competitive in the market.

The implementation of the new costing process will be supported by dedicated teams within the UKCRN Coordinating Centre and Clinical Research Networks. It is one of a number of initiatives being implemented by the UK Clinical Research Network to provide a more favourable environment for companies wishing to conduct their studies in the UK.

The costing process will be launched shortly. Further details will be made available on this website. For more information contact industry@ukcrn.org.uk