Building internal capacity in pragmatic trials: a workshop for program scientists at the US National Cancer Institute

Area of Science:

• Public Health Research
• Clinical Trial Design
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Capacity building in research funding organizations is vital for advancing pragmatic clinical trials.
• Previous efforts focused on researcher training; this study addresses program scientist training.
• A novel interactive workshop was developed for National Cancer Institute (NCI) program scientists.

Discussion:

• The workshop design catered to program scientists' roles in funding, advising, and training.
• Content included expert presentations and tailored small-group exercises on the explanatory-pragmatic trial continuum.
• Participants reported enhanced knowledge, relevance, and interest in pragmatic trials.

Key Insights:

• Training program scientists is essential for increasing the quality and quantity of pragmatic trials.
• This initiative complements researcher training, addressing a critical gap in capacity building.
• The workshop successfully improved understanding and differentiation of pragmatic vs. explanatory trial elements.

Outlook:

• This training approach has the potential to shape the future of pragmatic trials.
• It can lead to more actionable evidence for healthcare decisions.
• Further workshops for diverse audiences can accelerate evidence generation and implementation.