Set up by the SAMS at the end of 2021 on behalf of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the national Coordination Platform for Clinical Research (CPCR) aims to strengthen the institutional cooperation between academic actors in clinical research. Following consultation of its members at the end of a pilot period, the SERI has given the SAMS a new mandate to pursue the work of the platform until 2028.
The CPCR aims to establish a continuous institutionalized dialogue between the main academic stakeholders of clinical research in the broadest sense, including public health research and data-based research. The platform defines the framework conditions for implementing the measures identified in the White Paper Clinical Research published by the SAMS in 2021. It provides a shared space to clarify the responsibilities of its members, ensuring alignment with their service level agreements or mandates, and drawing on international best practices.
While not a strategic steering body, the CPCR is an essential platform for developing a common understanding of the main challenges in clinical research and for elaborating recommendations for its members, federal authorities, and policymakers. During this second phase, it also aims to become a consolidated voice of academic partners on cross-cutting research issues.
Common priorities for 2025–2028
The CPCR’s thematic priorities include:
- The pursuit of collaborative projects and the development of tools to increase transparency, improve coordination, and optimize the use of resources;
- Supporting the development of a national framework for patient and public involvement (PPI);
- Stronger coordination on ethical and legal aspects, particularly around informed consent and changes to the legal framework;
- Acting as an institutional sounding board on issues related to clinical research data management, in conjunction with national initiatives;
- Promotion of early-career researchers through targeted recommendations.
In this new phase, the CPCR will also ensure a better dissemination of information and the publication on this website of reference documents and tools developed jointly.
As host of the CPCR, the SAMS has decided to invest additional resources of its own to support the ambitious program oft the platform more effectively.
CPCR Service Finder
A new collaborative tool, the «CPCR Service Finder for Clinical Research», has been developed by the platform thanks to the technical expertise of Swiss Biobanking. This user-friendly tool allows to browse services offered by the main national research infrastructures supporting clinical and health research and to identify the right contact in just one click.
Discover the tool cpcrservicefinder.ch
The CPCR Service Finder supports academic researchers, study coordinators, data managers, and biobank professionals in identifying which national infrastructures can provide relevant expertise, data, or resources at different stages of their projects. The tool is designed to welcome other key national service providers progressively.
Help us further improve the CPCR Service Finder functionalities by sharing your feedback directly in the tool.
Composition of the CPCR
Prof. Arnaud Perrier, Vessy, SAMS (Chair)
Prof. Claudio Bassetti, Bern, Collège des Doyens
Prof. Matthias Baumgartner, Zürich, Swiss Personalized Health Network
Prof. Julia Bielicki, Basel, SwissPedNet
Christine Bienvenu, Romanel-sur-Morges, patient partner
Prof. Lauren Clack, Zurich, early career researcher
Prof. Mirjam Christ-Crain, Basel, Swiss National Science Foundation
Prof. Andreas Gerber-Grote, Winterthur, Specialist Conference Health, Universities of applied sciences
Prof. Vivian Hess, Basel, Swiss Cancer Institute (former SAKK)
Dr. Tobias Hurth, Bern, SAMS (ex officio)
Dr. Christine Joye, Lausanne, Swiss Biobanking
Prof. Mauro Oddo, Lausanne, unimedsuisse
Prof. Annette Oxenius, Zürich, ETH-Domain
Prof. Christiane Pauli-Magnus, Basel, Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation
Prof. Nicole Probst-Hensch, Basel, Swiss School of Public Health
Dr. Nicole Schaad, Bern, Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (guest)
Prof. Katrin Scheinemann, St.Gallen, Swiss Paediatric Oncology Group (new)
Dr. Myriam Tapernoux, Bern, SAMS (ex officio)
Dr. Salome von Greyerz, Bern, Federal Office of Public Health (guest)
Jennifer Woods, Basel, patient partner