How to improve diversity of participation in clinical trials: Generating evidence from randomised experiments (Oxford BRC Director’s Fund Project)
- Income and health inequalities
NIHR Oxford BRC Health Economics Hub
Health Economics forms an important element of healthcare research, and the Health Economics Hub supports and facilitates health economic research and training across the Oxford BRC, while engaging in a central overarching programme of health economic research. There are active health economic research programmes embedded across diverse themes, from Imaging to Genomic Medicine and Cancer.
Why health economics is important in translational research
Before new interventions and technologies can be adopted into the NHS, they are formally evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). A key factor in NICE’s decision‑making is typically cost‑effectiveness.
For this reason, health economic research is often needed to help translate discoveries and early‑stage findings into the NHS. The Hub facilitates health economic research within and across themes by providing advice and training. Even at an early stage of development, it can be useful to consider health economic modelling and assessment. It is particularly important to ensure that clinical research plans incorporate the collection of relevant health economic data, such as information on cost and quality of life.
The Hub is currently engaged in a programme of research quantifying the productivity gains from treating people with severe asthma with mepolizumab. Another recent project focused on gaining experimental evidence to improve the diversity and inclusivity of recruitment in clinical studies and trials.