Set up in February 2019, the Medical Research Agency (MRA; Polish: Agencja Badań Medycznych, ABM) is a state agency responsible for development of scientific research in the field of medical and health sciences.
The MRA was founded in order to improve the use of potential for development of medical research and health sciences, particularly in the scope of non-commercial clinical research that now constitute about 2 percent of all the registered trials in Poland. For comparison, in Western European countries the ratio amount to about 40 percent. The Agency aims at increasing the percentage of non-commercial clinical research to the level of 20-30 percent.
The main goals of non-commercial clinical research development shall include searching for new methods of treatment in the most pressing areas of medicine: oncology and cardiology, and also in the area of rare diseases, as often they are outside the area of interest of private companies. Ensuring the patients with oncology, cardiac and rare diseases the opportunity to participate in clinical research is essential for the whole health care system. In the future it will result in an access to modern medications or in lowering the costs of treatment of particular diseases.
The Agency implements one the first public grant programs with financing for non-commercial clinical trials in Poland. The research funded by MRA creates an opportunity for Polish patients to access the latest technologies, as well as a chance for Polish scientists to participate in global research.
