Press release n. 707 - Increasing the knowledge and involvement of General Practitioners (GPs) in the field of clinical research: this is the objective of the memorandum of understanding signed by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and the Italian Federation of General Practitioners (FIMMG). This protocol provides information and training events aimed at general practitioners distributed across the national territory and at the Agency's Scientific Officers (medical doctors, pharmacists, biologists, chemists).

The realisation of this project establishes the strong collaboration between the Institution and the territory, allowing a widespread dissemination of technical-scientific and regulatory information, for an improvement in the quality of care, prescriptive appropriateness and the involvement of GPs in clinical research.

In particular, AIFA provides its staff for teaching activities and FIMMG makes its organisational, information and training resources available to the Agency. The training courses, both remote and in person, preferably CME, will not have sponsorships and will not include participation fees.

The protocol was signed by Anna Rosa Marra, Interim Director General of the Italian Medicines Agency and Silvestro Scotti, National General Secretary of the Italian Federation of General Practitioners.

“AIFA – states Anna Rosa Marra – has always believed in dialogue and collaboration with its stakeholders and in particular with General Medicine, for its important role of proximity to the patient and of continuity between the different levels of assistance. The protocol signed with FIMMG therefore represents a further opportunity for sharing with the territory and also for training for the regulatory aspects of clinical research".

“FIMMG's collaboration with AIFA, aimed at information and training events open to all medical doctors and other healthcare professionals, intelligently aims to promote GPs' participation in research – underlines Silvestro Scotti. Recent experiences, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have clearly highlighted how, alongside the classic Clinical Trials, there is a need for a dynamic Research model, based on large numbers, with adaptive flexibility, aimed at acquiring information from real world through the contribution of General Medicine. This collaboration will help respond to patients' therapeutic needs, make the approach to medicine more equitable, and promote the economic sustainability of our NHS and Regional Health Systems".