Patients get faster and better treatment thanks to innovative research

Accelerating patients’ access to new treatments and strengthening Slovakia’s participation in international research – these were the main challenges discussed by experts at the International Clinical Trials Day conference, which took place on 28. May 2025 in Bratislava.

The International Clinical Trials Day 2025 brought together the top academic and commercial researchers in Slovakia. On this occasion, an expert conference was held in Bratislava, organised by SLOVACRIN in cooperation with the European Research Network ECRIN-ERIC and several academic institutions. The event has become a platform for expert dialogue on current challenges and future opportunities in clinical research.

The conference was opened by Ing. Ján Hrinko, PhD., State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, who stressed the importance of systematic support of research for improving the quality of health care. Also prof. MUDr. Peter Jarčuška, PhD., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of UPJŠ, and prof. Jacques Demotes, Director General of ECRIN-ERIC. Both of them presented new opportunities for Slovakia’s involvement in European research infrastructures and stressed the need for a stronger link between academic research and healthcare practice. “Clinical research is not just about drug development. It is one of the most important tools to ensure that new scientific knowledge is translated into real treatments for patients. We have the capacity and the experts in Slovakia – now is the time to make the most of these prerequisites,” said Professor Jarčuška.

Discussions during the conference focused on the removal of administrative barriers, the need to introduce stable funding for research units (CTUs) and greater Slovak participation in international studies. They open the way to faster access to modern treatment methods for patients and at the same time increase the competitiveness of Slovak research teams. “Concrete suggestions were made on how to improve the conditions for clinical trials in our country – from the technical background to legislative changes. The common denominator appears to be a willingness to look for solutions and to strengthen public trust in research as part of the healthcare system,” summarized MUDr. Beáta Čečetková, PhD., medical director of SLOVACRIN.

The conclusion of the conference confirmed the growing importance of clinical research for the future of Slovak healthcare. “Slovakia has the potential to become an active player in the European research area, but for this to happen the state must ensure adequate conditions that researchers and patients need”, concluded Dr. Beata Čečetková from SLOVACRIN.https://konferencia-ictd.sk

On January 27, 2025 the ECRIN Assembly of Members voted in favour of Slovakia obtaining ECRIN full membership. Slovakia has been an ECRIN Observer since 2018. Slovakia is represented by its national scientific partner SLOVACRIN (the Slovak Clinical Research Infrastructure) headquartered at the Faculty of Medicine of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. 

SLOVACRIN is the national research infrastructure for non-commercial clinical trials in Slovakia.  It represents a national distributed research infrastructure connecting hospitals, universities and scientific institutions involved in academic clinical research. The aim of the national infrastructure is to increase the number and quality of academically initiated clinical trials in Slovakia using the available capacity and expertise, knowledge, research, and development in the field of medical sciences and to help build a network of clinical trial units.

Through full ECRIN Membership SLOVACRIN gains access to the full host of ECRIN services thus providing additional support to the national research landscape and a stronger foothold in Europe. 

SlovaCRIN has been working since its inception to define its place in the national research landscape and it worked successfully to be included in the Roadmap of Research Infrastructures Slovakia VI Roadmap 2020-2030 where it has been listed since 2021. A key document for the Slovak Republic in the field of research infrastructures.