Belgium - Netherlands Funding of International Trials (Second BeNeFIT Call)

The aim of the call is to provide funding for clinical trials that compare the effectiveness of existing health care interventions that are already in use in a given indication, e.g. comparisons between two medications, medical therapy versus surgery, trials investigating optimal timing of surgery etc. The research should be pragmatic and practice-oriented. Trials funded within the BeNeFIT program must be of a non-commercial nature. The different treatment options that are compared in a BeNeFIT trial should concern treatments that are (or have the potential of being) reimbursed by health care payers in Belgium and the Netherlands. Moreover, each BeNeFIT trial should have the potential of generating results with an immediate and important impact on the efficiency of the health care systems in Belgium and The Netherlands.

For both the budget and duration of the proposed trial, no maximum amount is defined.

• The proposed budget of the trial must be reasonable and commensurate with the work involved. A thorough evaluation of the proposed budget is part of the total assessment procedure.
• The duration of the study should be realistic.
• The available budget for this call is 9 million euros.

The BeNeFIT call focuses on comparative effectiveness trials which show clear value for money and have the potential for return on investment. Accepted trial interventions are not limited to drugs or medical devices but also include a broad range of interventions, such as psychotherapy, diet, diagnostic tests or surgery. Proposals will be selected based on the need for evidence in clinical practice and possible efficiency improvement and potential return on investment for the health care systems. The primary aim of the trial must be of a non-commercial nature.

Eligible candidates

Research teams from institutions in Belgium and the Netherlands can apply to this call. The sponsor (the main applicant) should be located in one of the two countries and should be supported by a national coordinating centre in the other country. Both Belgian and Dutch centres should participate, ideally with a good regional spread. In Belgium, both French-speaking and Flemish centres should participate.