An analysis of the strategic plan development processes of major public organisations funding health research in nine high-income countries worldwide.

BACKGROUND: There have been claims that health research is not satisfactorily addressing healthcare challenges. A specific area of concern is the adequacy of the mechanisms used to plan investments in health research. However, the way organisations within countries devise research agendas has not been systematically reviewed. This study seeks to understand the legal basis, the actors and the processes involved in setting research agendas in major public health research funding organisations. METHODS: We reviewed information relating to the formulation of strategic plans by 11 public funders in nine high-income countries worldwide. Information was collected from official websites and strategic plan documents in English, French, Italian and Spanish between January 2019 and December 2019, by means of a conceptual framework and information abstraction form. RESULTS: We found that the formulation of a strategic plan is a common and well-established practice in shaping research agendas across international settings. Most of the organisations studied are legally required to present a multi-year strategic plan. In some cases, legal provisions may set rules for actors and processes and may establish areas of research and/or types of research to be funded. Commonly, the decision-making process involves both internal and external stakeholders, with the latter being generally government officials and experts, and few examples of the participation of civil society. The process also varies across organisations depending on whether there is a formal requirement to align to strategic priorities developed by an overarching entity at national level. We also found that, while actors and their interactions were traceable, information, sources of information, criteria and the mechanisms/tools used to shape decisions were made less explicit. CONCLUSIONS: A complex picture emerges in which multiple interactive entities appear to shape research plans. Given the complexity of the influences of different parties and factors, the governance of the health research sector would benefit from a traceable and standardised knowledge-based process of health research strategic planning. This would provide an opportunity to demonstrate responsible budget stewardship and, more importantly, to make efforts to remain responsive to healthcare challenges, research gaps and opportunities.

Problemi emergenti in Italia in tema di procreazione medicalmente assistita / Problemas emergentes en Italia en temas de reproducción médicamente asistida / Problemes emergents a Itàlia en temes de reproducció mèdicament assistida / Emergent Problems in Italy in the Matter of Assisted Reproductive Technology

La procreazione medicalmente assistita in Italia è regolamentata della Legge 40/2004 che nel corso degli ultimi dieci anni è stata oggetto di diversi interventi giurisprudenziali che ne hanno ridisegnato il volto tanto da farne un esempio di riscrittura giurisprudenziale di un testo normativo. Rimangono tutt'ora aperti vari problemi che impongono un ripensamento con riferimento al modello di famiglia, di genitorialità e all'esistenza di un diritto alla libertà procreativa. Le diverse correnti del femminismo hanno accolto in modo diverso l'avvento delle nuove tecnologie riproduttive, considerate come capaci di ampliare i diritti delle donne ma anche di aprire nuove forme di assoggettamento e sfruttamento

La tecnología de reproducción asistida (ART) en Italia está regulada por la Ley 40/2004. Ésta se ha convertido en los últimos diez años en objeto de varias resoluciones judiciales que la han ido remodelando hasta tal punto de convertirla en un ejemplo de reescritura judicial de un texto legal. Todavía quedan varias preguntas abiertas que muestran la necesidad de replantearnos nuestro modelo de familia y de crianza de los hijos y la existencia de un derecho a la libertad de procreación. Existen diferentes corrientes dentro del feminismo en relación a la ART, por un lado, puntos de vista que remarcan que estas nuevas tecnologías amplían los derechos de las mujeres, mientras que por otro lado, opiniones que manifiestan que esta tecnología trae nuevas formas de subrogación y explotación

La tecnologia de reproducció assistida (ART) a Itàlia està regulada per la Llei 40/2004. Aquesta s'ha convertit en els últims deu anys en objecte de diverses resolucions judicials que l'han anat remodelant fins al punt de convertir-la en un exemple de reescriptura judicial d'un text legal. Encara queden varies preguntes obertes que mostren la necessitat de replantejar-nos el nostre model de família i de criança dels fills i la existència d'un dret a la llibertat de procreació. Existeixen diferents corrents dins del feminisme en relació a l'ART, per una banda, punts de vista que remarquen que aquestes noves tecnologies amplien els drets de les dones, mentre que per altra banda, hi ha opinions que manifesten que aquesta tecnologia comporta noves formes de subrogació i explotació

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Italy is regulated under Law 40/2004, which over the last ten years has become the object of various court rulings that have reshaped it to such an extent as to make it an example of judicial rewriting of a statutory text. There still remain several open questions that make it necessary to rethink our model of the family and of parenting and the existence of a right to procreative freedom. Different currents in feminism have responded in a variety of ways to the advent of ART, on the one hand finding that these new technologies broaden the rights of women, while on the other arguing that they bring in new forms of subjugation and exploitation

Policies on Conflicts of Interest in Health Care Guideline Development: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether organisations that develop health care guidelines have conflict of interest (COI) policies and to review the content of the available COI policies. METHODS: Survey and content analysis of COI policies available in English, French, Spanish, and Italian conducted between September 2014 and June 2015. A 24-item data abstraction instrument was created on the basis of guideline development standards. RESULTS: The survey identified 29 organisations from 19 countries that met the inclusion criteria. From these organisations, 19 policies were eligible for inclusion in the content analysis. Over one-third of the policies (7/19, 37%) did not report or did not clearly report whether disclosure was a prerequisite for membership of the guideline panel. Strategies for the prevention of COI such as divestment were mentioned by only two organisations. Only 21% of policies (4/19) used criteria to determine whether an interest constitutes a COI and to assess the severity of the risk imposed. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that some organisations, in contradiction of widely available standards, still do not have COI policies publicly available is concerning. Also troubling were the findings that some policies did not clearly report critical steps in obtaining, managing and communicating disclosure of relationships of interest. This in addition to the variability encountered in content and accessibility of COI policies may cause confusion and distrust among guideline users. It is in the interest of guideline users and developers to design an agreed-upon, comprehensive, clear, and accessible COI policy.