PCORI Offers Up to $150.7 Million to Support Second Phase of Development of PCORnet, its National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Initiative

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) today issued two funding announcements offering a total of up to $150.7 million to support further development of the health systems-based and patient-powered data networks that comprise PCORnet, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network.

PCORnet is a large, national network for conducting comparative effectiveness research (CER) and other types of health studies more rapidly and efficiently. Upon completion, it will be a resource to support studies using clinical data gathered in routine clinical practice in real-world settings.

PCORI began development of PCORnet with an initial investment of $93.5 million to support the development and expansion of 29 individual networks, a mix of health system-based Clinical Data Research Networks (CDRNs) and patient-organized Patient-Powered Research Networks (PPRNs), over an 18-month first phase that concludes in September 2015.

PCORI's Board of Governors approved the issuance of two PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs) to continue PCORnet's development over a three-year second phase at its meeting on December 8, 2014. PCORI will provide up to $8.75 million in total costs for each CDRN and up to $1.68 million in total costs for each PPRN over three years.

Phase II funding aims to enable the participating networks to become fully capable of supporting both randomized and observational CER studies, rapid-cycle studies, and other types of health research using robust standardized data sets with strong patient privacy and security protections. In addition, the PPRNs and CDRNs are expected to significantly increase their collaborations and to develop plans for sustaining their operations beyond the end of Phase II.

PCORI will provide funds to support as many as 13 CDRNs and 22 PPRNs in phase II. All 11 CDRNs and 18 PPRNs currently participating in PCORnet are eligible to apply for phase II funding. In addition, PCORI invites additional networks with established capacity to apply through these funding announcements.

"We're excited to announce this funding opportunity for the second phase of PCORnet," said Rachael Fleurence, PhD, Director of PCORI's CER Methods and Infrastructure Program, the program which oversees PCORnet. "We've made tremendous progress with our current 29 networks during the first phase of this national initiative, and we look forward to capitalizing on the infrastructure built so far. PCORnet will begin supporting research, both observational and randomized, in phase II and we're excited about its increasing capacity to generate evidence that will help patients and those who care for them make better informed decisions."

Required Letters of Intent (LOIs) from potential applicants are due by Thursday, January 15, 2015. LOIs are competitive, meaning they will be screened for their responsiveness and fit to the initiative's goals. PCORI will notify those invited to submit full applications by Tuesday, February 3, 2015. Other key dates and details can be found in the full CDRN and PPRN funding announcements on PCORI's website.

About PCORI
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to continually seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work. More information is available at www.pcori.org.

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SOURCE Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

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http://www.pcori.org