Joint projects

Digital health

The term Digital Health converges under a single definition all solutions, technologies and aspects of health related to the digital world. The Cluster working group shared a reference framework and a set of priorities.

“Digital Health is impacting on a different layer linked to healthcare and life sciences… and the impact is bigger than expected.”

Digital Health has had a remarkable impact in many ways:

Education and digitisation can together make health systems more responsive and sustainable;

Education and digital health can enable the transition from treatment-based to prevention-based medicine;

Education and digital health outline a new role for health professionals;

Education and digitisation give professionals more time to devote to medicine;

Digital health can help reduce inequalities concerning health.

Also considering the above, the Lombardy Cluster deems it essential to connect regional excellence on the subject, to intercept dedicated funding and develop projects for citizens and the healthcare system. Hence the creation of a working group, which has identified several priorities to focus on:

Connect to other digital ecosystems;

Monitor possible sources of EU, national and regional funds, and propose partnership projects;

Support the circulation and exchange of good practices and experiences (contacts with contractors, partnership models, R&D projects, regulatory…);

Propose and organise events and workshops.

Clinical trials

The project aims to formulate an operational proposal designed to strengthen clinical trials in the Lombardy Region. Law no. 3 of January 2018, better known as the Lorenzin Law, includes among its areas of intervention important changes for clinical research and the organisation of Ethics Committees based in our country. Clinical trials are an institutional activity for healthcare facilities, and are essential to offer high quality standards of care. Hence, they must be included in the mission of individual facilities belonging to both regional and national healthcare systems.

Participating in a clinical trial has many advantages for the facility conducting it, indeed the process:

Increases mastery of clinical trial-related methodology;

Allows to quickly learn how to use a new device;

Is a learning opportunity, as it broadens apprenticeship opportunities for both the facility and the human resources involved;

Can become a tool to build the facility’s reputation;

Generates economic benefits.

The project aims to converge public and private
institutions working in the field of clinical trials with a view to:

Promote the development of new projects, collaboration and confrontation between all players in the clinical trial ecosystem;

Identify best-practices that can improve the work of Ethics Committees and centres where clinical trials are conducted.

Facilitate application and monitoring of new legislation by identifying potential areas of intervention;

Highlight the value of clinical research in Lombardy through concrete data that can support practitioners and policymakers in strengthening the system;

All the above points are ensured by two activities:

Oversee policies that have an impact on the clinical trial system

Output:

Draw up internal and external positioning documents preparatory to lobbying and advocacy;

Conduct data analysis activities, define best practices, recommendations and inquiries

Output:

Promote an ongoing dialogue between players in clinical trials, and draft a report on the value of clinical trials in Lombardy.

Disseminate positioning and results of the work carried out by organising events and institutional meetings, through the media, etc.

Biobanks

To date, the sector is not governed by a national regulation. There is only an indication concerning the regulation of the Lombardy Region’s biobanks (2016),
along with some government guidelines for accreditation (2006). After all, biobanks are of considerable importance for research purposes because:

They allow samples to be collected and stored according to standardised and structured procedures;

They act as service organisations for the benefit of those who need to use the samples;

Their activities must be governed by common European and international regulations.

It emerged from the State-Regions agreement of 25 March 2009 that regions are responsible for authorising biobanks in their territory of competence. This is why BBMRI.it has launched a pilot project together with several regions to census and evaluate all biobanks in the territory. The aim is to create a regional catalogue, reduce fragmentation, improve the quality of biobanks, and plan their long-term sustainability.

What is Cluster’s objective?
A programme of institutional support for biobanking activities, aimed at creating a network of biobanks operating in synergy, presenting high quality standards, and capable of acting as a credible hub at both national and European level.