Links

The Irish Society of Gastroenterology are a group of medical specialists working in the field of gastrointestinal and liver disease and associated research.  They organise and host regular platforms and conferences and promote ongoing education and training in gastroenterology at all levels. International links are maintained and developed to assist with the flow of information in the field.

Founded in 1984, The Irish Society for Colitis & Crohn’s Disease (ISCC) is the patient-to-patient support group for people who are living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Ireland. They are a member of the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA).

They aim to support people who are living with IBD, along with their parents, partners, family and friends. Additionally, they work to improve the quality of life and well-being of the IBD community through sensitive support services, including advocacy, provision of information, training and events.

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) influence IBD management through the development, publication, dissemination and teaching of IBD guidelines and other educational materials. They facilitate and promote the education of health care professionals in the field of IBD and host an annual congress which features oral and poster presentations as well as educational courses and workshops.

Clinicaltrials.ie is part of an information campaign by the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science (IPPOSI) intended to advise the public about clinical trials. The aim is to increase the positive attitude which people have about participating in a clinical trial and the willingness of people to participate in research.

The National Office for Research Ethics Committees is an important new addition to the research environment in Ireland. Their mission is to embed a robust, transparent and cohesive research ethics review system that strengthens the national research infrastructure. An essential aspect of the NREC system is the mandate to return ethics decisions that are respected nationally (‘single national ethics opinion’). Working alongside local research ethics committees and supported by the National Office team, the NRECs will work in a mixed-model system to support research ethics across the spectrum of health research in Ireland.

The HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN) is a collaborative initiative between a number of Irish and international higher education institutes and methodology centres.

Its mission is to strengthen the methodology and reporting of trials in health and social care in Ireland so that they become more relevant, accessible and influential for patients and other service users, practitioners, policy makers and the public. This is achieved through a programme of work relating to the methodology of trials and focused on (i) support (ii) training and education (iii) research and innovation and (iv) public engagement.