The Health Research Classification System

Abstract

The UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) was established in 2004 with the aim of "ensuring a coherent approach to the funding of clinical research in the UK by developing a culture of communication and coordinated strategies between the major funders".

More than 20 organisations participate in the UKCRC, including the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) which represents 125 medical charities

The first step for the UKCRC was to fully describe the funding landscape – to identify gaps and opportunities for health research in the UK.

A bespoke Health Research Classification System (HRCS) was developed collaboratively, based on the Common Scientific Outline used by the US National Cancer Institute to allow meaningful comparisons to be made across the different funders’ research portfolios.