EuroPa
Communication Plan – draft #2
1. Introduction
EuroPa is a research infrastructure project funded by the European Commission (EC) with about 1.7 million EUR for 3 years (5th framework programme – Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources). Besides the EC, contractors are 11 clinical centres from 11 countries and a IT company.
Project objective is the establishment of a cooperative network of specialists for clinical research on Parkinson’s disease. The infrastructure to be implemented is a central patient registry combined with web-based data entry and a clinical research and trial centre. With respect to the project contract, EuroPa is to become an independent, non-profit organisation that will promote clinically orientated research by further exploiting and extending its infrastructure. Another goal is the extension of the network itself by recruiting additional qualified clinical centres and developing national networks. The implementation of national networks as well as any specific research is not funded by the EC and will require additional support from other sources.
The achievement of the objectives outlined above will require various forms of project communication to third parties. The communication plan shall secure the most effective and structured project communication by implementing a uniform communication strategy.
2. Communication team
It was suggested to create a communication team that will handle, coordinate and track the project communication activities.
Tasks:
- approach industry and potential business and scientific partners
- approach potential sponsors and coordinate activities together with WP 6 (fundraising)
- decide on media requests and publications
- coordinate preparation of general project publications
3. Communication objectives
1. Project deliverables
The contract with the EC outlines several requests regarding project communication:
a) to the EC: periodic project reports and technological implementation plan
b) among project members: Communication of project details, progress and decisions, distribution of reports, minutes and project documents
c) towards third parties:
“Appropriate measures to ensure suitable publicity for the project in order to highlight the support provided by the Community”
“papers to European scientific meetings and other international meetings to ensure visibility of EuroPa on an international level”
one-page publishable project summary
publishable poster for non-scientific audience
final report suitable for publication
2. Development and maintenance of EuroPa infrastructure
Communication for fundraising purposes: Additional financial resources are necessary in order to further develop EuroPa’s infrastructure.
a) on a national level: personnel for patient recruitment, data entry and management, clinical trial preparation and participation, administrative purposes, travelling, etc.
b) on a central level: hardware administration, hosting and maintenance (in particular after the funding period), software development and eCRF-preparation, network administration, legal support for contract preparation, PR and marketing etc.
3. Recruitment of additional clinical centres and implementation of national networks
Project communication on a national level is needed in order to attract additional qualified clinical centres and extend EuroPa’s scope . However, a legal basis needs to be established first in order to associate additional clinical centres. Ownership of the infrastructure, exploitation rights and duties must be defined; either by establishing an organisation that is open for new members or by any other form of binding agreement.
4. Planning and executing industry-sponsored clinical trials
EuroPa will sell itself as a network offering qualified services for PD-related clinical trials to the industry. Such services will be a crucial source of income and reputation. General communication is needed in order to make the industry aware of EuroPa and its potential services and advantages. Project-specific communication is needed in order to represent EuroPa’s interests during negotiations with sponsors.
5. Planning and executing (not industry-sponsored) research projects
a) intern communication: effective bundling of resources within the network in order to carry out multi-center studies on a new level; common procedures of study evaluation, selection and publication
b) extern communication: in order to find cooperation partners for certain studies and projects
6. Cooperation with patient organisations and other national / international organisations
EuroPa will inform about its organisation, objectives and current projects. It will build up a high profile and reputation in order to become an influential voice with respect to diagnosis, therapy and clinical research on PD. It will influence decision makers in politics and health care, also in partnership with patient interest groups and other organisations. Additionally, EuroPa will improve its prospects for distinctive research programmes and grants.
7. Networking with neurologist in participating countries
EuroPa will help to develop standards for diagnosis and therapy of PD in Europe and will support the distribution of evidenced based medicine for PD among neurologists and general practitioners in all participating European countries.
4. Communication Targets
internal
- EuroPa members
- Collaborators
- University / hospital administration
external
- European Commission
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Health authorities and policy makers, including Regulatory Agencies
- Potential scientific partners
- Not yet participating clinical centres and neurologists
- Scientific community, neurological organisations, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Patient associations
- General Public
5. Deliverables by communication target
European Commission
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleQ2-2002, Q1-2003 / One-page publishable project summary (press release) / done / coordinator
Q4-2002 / Poster presentation for public use / Poster prepared for Miami conference was delivered to Brussels as well / coordinator
12-2002 / 1st periodic report / Approved by EC / coordinator
07-2003 / Update of 1st periodic report for midterm review / Update of work package reports / WP leaders, coordinator
12-2003 / 2nd periodic report / Update of work package reports, cost reports, milestone list, cost reports / WP leaders, coordinator, all
12-2004 / Final report / Preparation of final WP reports, cost reports / WP leaders, coordinator, all
12-2004 / Technological implementation plan / Market evaluation, definition of services, budget planning, business plan to ensure EuroPa’s sustainability / Coordinator, WP 6
EuroPa members
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleProject reports, meeting minutes, work package updates / Coordinator, WP leaders, SC members
Registry policy / First draft has been distributed, must be approved by SC / WP 3 (W. Poewe)
Documents explaining EuroPa’s future options in order to discuss them with responsible university/hospital representatives / Decision on type of organisation, contract content etc. / Coordinator, all
Communication plan and regular updates / coordinator
Industry
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleProject brochure, definition of resources and services to be offered, member list / Establishment of contacts on a central level: discussion of industry needs and how EuroPa can meet them
discussion of business and fundraising possibilities
Q3-2003 / Preparation of budget and personnel plan
Survey on resources (personnel, IT, lab etc.) given/needed at each centre for patient recruitment and clinical trial participation
Publication list of EuroPa members to display scientific qualification / Collect most relevant publication from each partner
Scientific public, KOL
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsiblePoster presentation at neurological conferences / Decision on where and when, content and poster preparation
-MDS: Miami, 11-2002
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- / Communication team
Abstracts and brief articles in scientific magazines / Decision on requests
Selecting journals
Preparing articles
Voting by members / Communication team
Publication of project results (health economics, clinical studies) / Study leaders
Clinical centres, neurologists, scientific partners
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleProject brochure
PowerPoint presentation
Requirement list for participation, standard contract/agreement, definition of decision making process / First, the legal basis for EuroPa’s extension must be defined and standard contracts should be prepared with legal assistance / Coordinator, SC
Health authorities, policy makers
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleHealth economics analysis / WP 5 (R. Dodel)
Recommendations for diagnosis and therapy of PD in Europe
Patient organisations
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsiblePublic
When? / Deliverables / Action required / ResponsibleQ1-2003 / website / Fill in missing information, regular updates / WP leaders, coordinator
Communication of EuroPa and its objectives to journalists of general media, e.g. at the World Parkinson Day etc. / Communication team
6. EuroPa Communication plan
Type of Communication / Purpose / Audience / Message / By whom? / Deliverable / When?report / Midterm review / Scientific officer EC, external reviewer, project participants / Project progress with respect to contract / coordinator / Update of 1st periodic report / 07-2003
Personal discussion, letter or presentation (slides) / Inform about EuroPa (organisation and objectives), help selecting proper new members / Clinical centres and potential EuroPa members (at the national level) / Chances and advantages of being a EuroPa member and of extending EuroPa’s scope; rights and responsibilities / Present EuroPa members / Project brochure, slides, requirement lists for new members
Meetings, written applications / Sell services, become partner for sponsored trials, fundraising / Potential industry partners / EuroPa organisation, members, objectives, resources, services to be offered / Communication team / EuroPa brochure, slides,
Budget plan, resources survey
Article (e.g. MDS journal, Lancet) / Inform about EuroPa and its potential scope / Scientific community, industry / Attract attention of potential collaborators and customers; demonstrate common interests and identification with EuroPa’s objectives / Communication team, coordinator
publication / Publish results of health economics study / Scientific community, health authorities / WP 5 (R. Dodel)
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