Tackling Swine Flu

Staff based in the NIHR Clinical Research Networks are playing a key role in ensuring that nationally important swine flu studies are set up quickly, can recruit willing participants as soon as possible and are ready to assist in managing any extra work involved.

Fourteen projects costing £2.25 million have been fast tracked by the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre on behalf of the Department of Health for urgent national H1N1 influenza research. These priority studies will provide vital clinical and scientific evidence that will inform the government’s response to the virus in the coming months.

The Networks are a key part of the NIHR's rapid response to the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ pandemic to make sure the best and most up-to-date information on the safest and most effective treatments and interventions are available to the Department of Health, the NHS, patients and the public as quickly as possible.