Translation of Research into Policy and Health Care Practice

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Translation of Research intoPolicy and Health
Care Practice

• Bruce A Scoggins, PhD
• Chief Executive,
• Health Research Council of New Zealand
• WHO Temporary Adviser

Ministerial Round Table WHO Regional
Committee Auckland, New Zealand September 2006
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What does this introductorypresentation seek to
achieve?

• Identify goals and challenges

• Discuss problems to be overcome

• Explore opportunities for achieving goals

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58th World Health Assembly (May 2005)
World Health Assembly urged the Member States
(resolution 58.34) to

• the developing countries consider investing at
  least 2 of national health expenditures in
  research and research capacity strengthening
• allocate adequate funding and human resources for
  health systems research

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• promote activities that strengthen national
  health research systems
• establish or strengthen mechanisms to transfer
  knowledge in support of evidence-based public
  health and health care delivery systems, and
  evidence-based health-related policies

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Challenges for Countries in the Region
Health problems, research needs and strategies to
implement interventions may be country
specific. Research results cannot always be
transferred between countries National research
capacity is essential
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Building Health Systemsresearch capacity and
capability
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Building Health Systemsresearch capacity and
capability
For success you need all the piecesof the puzzle
in place
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Discuss the problems to be overcome
The know-do gap The gap between what we know
and what we do

• inadequate packaging and delivery of research
  outputs to policy-makers
• poor uptake of research outputs by policy-makers
• insufficient translation of knowledge into policy

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• evidence, knowledge and resources exist to
  substantially reduce the disease burden but are
  not well utilized
• research evidence not available when needed by
  decision-makers
• national research systems may be weak
• no regional or sub-regional forum to evaluate
  what does or does not work in health policy and
  system development

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The WHO Regional Frameworkfor Health Research

• Framework developed by Western Pacific Advisory
  Committee on Health Research in 2003
• Goals
• all countries to develop and implement a health
  research strategy
• build the capacity to conduct quality research to
  address priority health needs
• enhance dissemination and utilization of research
• enhance communication within and between countries

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Knowledge Transfer from Researchinto Policy and
Practice

• Evidence Informed Policy Networks (EVIPNet)
  launched in June 2005 is a key initiative
• Involving China, the Lao Peoples Democratic
  Republic, Malaysia, Philippines and Viet Nam
• Aims
• improving research capacity
• improving access to and use of best evidence
• connecting researchers and decision-makers

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Research to Policy Cycle
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Points for Discussion
1. How do ministries of health find and use the
best evidence for decision making?

• Examples of good practice for improving access to
  and use of research evidence
• How can ministries of health search, synthesize
  and analyse the best evidence so that it is part
  of the decision-making process?

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Points for Discussion
2. How can Member States produce better evidence
through their national health research system?

• Country experiences on strengthening national
  health research systems
• How can ministries of health influence allocation
  of resources to priority health research?

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Points for Discussion
3. What is the role of health policy and systems
research in strengthening health systems?

• Experiences from countries on strengthening
  capacity for health policy and systems research

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Points for Discussion
4. What are the best practices for translating
research into policy and policy into practice?

• Country examples of useful interactions between
  researchers and policy-makers
• Examples where in-country research or systematic
  reviews of global evidence have played a key role
  in formulation of policy

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Points for Discussion
5. How can regional or sub regional collaboration
improve the evidence base for policy and health
care practice?

• What are the best ways to analyse health systems,
  policies and programmes and to learn from Member
  States in the Western Pacific Region?