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The Hub will lead a clinical study to evaluate a remote blood-sampling device in the paediatric population, in line with the objectives of the BRIDGE project to facilitate access to clinical trials for all children.
The Paediatric and Perinatal Research Hub at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) will participate in the European Project-COMFORT, an international initiative working to transform blood sample collection models through innovative blood micro-sampling technologies. As part of the project, the Hub will lead a clinical study to evaluate a device that enables remote blood sample collection in the paediatric population, with the aim of moving towards more accessible clinical research models adapted to the needs of children and their families.
This participation falls within the Hub’s strategic priorities, which promote research into child and adolescent health, collaboration between clinical care and research teams, and inclusivity in clinical studies. At the same time, it reinforces VHIR’s efforts to promote clinical trial models that reduce barriers to accessing research, in line with the objectives of the BRIDGE project, led by the Institute.
Project-COMFORT is a European project supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) that brings together more than 50 institutions and companies, including hospitals, universities, research centres, and companies in the medical technology and pharmaceutical sectors. The initiative works on the development and evaluation of innovative blood micro-sampling technologies, with the aim of facilitating sample collection and exploring new ways of integrating these procedures into healthcare.
In this context, the VHIR Paediatric and Perinatal Research Hub will lead a clinical study to evaluate the device in children, in coordination with different clinical care teams at the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus and with primary care professionals, including the Jordi Gol Institute for Research in Primary Care (IDIAPJGol).
The study will include different profiles of paediatric patients, both children who attend healthcare centres occasionally and those who require ongoing clinical follow-up. This diversity will make it possible to evaluate the device in different healthcare settings and explore its potential applications in patient follow-up.
In the long term, this technology could make it possible to collect certain blood samples at home or in settings close to children, provided that clinical validation confirms its feasibility. This could reduce the need to travel to hospital, make the monitoring of certain conditions more convenient, and facilitate participation in clinical studies.
Dr Pere Soler, Head of the Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Section of the Paediatric Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Head of the Infection and Immunity in Paediatric Patients research group at VHIR, highlights the importance of moving towards more accessible research: “The Hub’s participation in the COMFORT project reinforces our commitment to more inclusive paediatric research focused on the needs of children and their families. Exploring new ways of collecting samples and monitoring patients can help us reduce barriers to participation in clinical studies and move towards more flexible and accessible research models”.
The Hub’s participation in Project-COMFORT complements the objectives of the BRIDGE project (Breaking Barriers with Remote Integration for Global Pediatric Trials), which promotes a new decentralised model for paediatric clinical trials through digital transformation, cooperation between centres, and improved accessibility.
Clinical trials are essential to demonstrate that treatments are safe and effective in the paediatric population. However, the geographical dispersion of patients, the low prevalence of certain diseases, and difficulties travelling to healthcare centres can limit children’s participation in these studies.
BRIDGE works to overcome these barriers through digital tools, new follow-up models, and better collaboration between centres, with the aim of ensuring that all children have more equitable opportunities to access innovative therapies, regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic circumstances.
Along these same lines, the paediatric study linked to Project-COMFORT will make it possible to explore the potential of a blood micro-sampling technology to facilitate sample collection outside the hospital setting. The incorporation of these types of tools could help develop hybrid or remote research models in which in-person procedures are complemented by activities carried out closer to patients’ homes.
Project-COMFORT is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101163781. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, along with contributions from COCIR, EFPIA, EuropaBio, MedTech Europe, Vaccines Europe, Jones Lang LaSalle SE, and Miebach Consulting GmbH. This work is also funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding Guarantee.
Biochemistry, Cross-departmental services
Paediatrics, Children's Hospital and Woman's Hospital
Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Children's Hospital and Woman's Hospital
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