About NTA

Funded activities
Clinical trials explained
Nordic research infrastructure

The Nordic Trial Alliance (NTA) is a project with the aim to facilitate clinical research co-operation in the Nordic region and focus on multi-centre clinical trials.

NTA is based on established national networks for clinical research and will lay the foundation for increased collaboration between national and Nordic stakeholders.

NTA is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and NordForsk.

Overall aims

The overall aims of NTA are to:

  • Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing between researchers within the Nordic countries
  • Coordinate support to existing and developing Nordic networks in clinical research
  • Identify and provide solutions to obstacles in the way of Nordic clinical multi-centre trials
  • Support patient involvement in clinical trials
  • Provide information about the Nordic benefits in connection with conducting trials
  • Provide industry support to promote links to relevant researchers and networks
  • Provide researchers with information on where to find relevant research infrastructure

Background

Over the past decade there has been a decrease in clinical trials in the Nordic countries. This has a highly negative impact on the Nordic health sector, with potentially dramatic consequences. Some of these consequences are:

  • Delays before new methods and treatments are introduced to patients
  • Clinical trials that cannot deliver conclusive data and therefore must be repeated
  • The redirection of multinational trial proposals to other areas of the world
  • Coordinaton and collaboration is key
  • Greater coordination to increase access to research infrastructures and ensure sharing of competencies and resources is required if Nordic clinical research is to maintain its strong foothold and international position. At the same time, there is a growing understanding that more Nordic collaboration is needed between companies, hospitals and universities to adequately support innovation chains as well as small and medium enterprises in the life sciences fields.

Activities to enhance Nordic cooperation will lead to a rise in the number of joint clinical trial operations, and thus boost the attractiveness of the Nordic countries as partners in research. Such activities will also promote knowledge transfer as well as increased efficiency and output. Moreover, increased Nordic collaboration will strengthen the Nordic voice in the international arena.


Activities within Nordic Trial Alliance (NTA) are coordinated via a small Nordic secretariat at NordForsk. All the Nordic countries are represented in the NTA’s activities.