As part of the strategy, a new clinical research programme called the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme will be launched on 1 April 2008. The EME will be funded by the MRC, and administered by the NIHR as the lead organisation. The programme aims to support excellent clinical science with an ultimate view to improving health or patient care. Its remit includes clinical trials and evaluative studies which add significantly to our understanding of biological or behavioural mechanisms and processes, explore new scientific or clinical principles, evaluate clinical efficacy of interventions where proof of concept in humans has already been achieved and the development or testing of new methodologies.

The new strategy will see the EME programme working with the already established NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme, to ensure that promising technologies are carried from the efficacy and safety stage through to being assessed for clinical and cost-effectiveness to the NHS. The HTA programme will continue to produce research information about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS.

The EME Programme will mainly work in responsive mode, taking applications from the research community and assessing them at regular intervals, although it may also fund proactively in particular areas of importance. Details of how to apply for funding will be available from January 2008.

Details of other components of the MRC-NIHR joint strategy for health research covering discovery and exploratory development, methodology and human capital will be announced separately.

The MRC and NIHR joint arrangement has been developed with the Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research.