The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme's funding is to extend, enabling researchers to submit evaluation studies falling within the remit of the HTA programme.
This includes feasibility, pilot studies and proposals for evidence synthesis alongside normal clinical trials.
The programme's responsive funding stream was launched in 2006 in support of the National R&D Strategy 'Best Research for Best Health' to commission clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of technologies within the NHS, with a focus on clinical decision-making.
The expansion of the responsive funding stream will provide researchers with more opportunities to submit applications to the HTA programme, in turn leading to an increase in the number of projects funded and expanding the evidence base.
The format of the funding stream will not change with researchers being invited to submit proposals on topics proposed by them on an ongoing basis.
The next deadline for applications is Tuesday 21 October 2008.
The outline proposal form, commissioning brief and guidance notes are available on the funding pages of the HTA website.
