What makes a good research idea?

What information or device would help you manage your condition and improve your lifestyle? It might be helpful to consider:

• Will this idea help improve quality of life for patients?
• Will this idea help doctors treat or diagnose diseases?
• Will the outcome be simple and affordable for people to use?

You might also find it helpful to complete our ‘new research proposal: summary sheet‘ (link here). This is not a necessary step, but it provides prompts that may help organise your thoughts.

All research ideas must be supported by a UK-based patient organisation or charity. If you do not meet this criteria, you may be interested in building a research team via the Rare Disease Research Network.

What’s a feasibility assessment?

Our first step will be to assess your idea to see if it’s technically possible to turn into a study or clinical trial. We’ll consider things like:

• What is already known about the topic?
• How many participants will be required to run the study, and will we be able to recruit them? Will we have to include people with other, similar conditions?
• Is the proposed treatment or device available?
• Will specialist clinicians support this research?
• Is the research ethical?
• Are there potential funding sources?

Read our FAQs or contact us for more information!