The c4c project aims to improve the design, coordination, and execution of high-quality pediatric clinical trials across multiple countries and sites. It focuses on:

• Supporting trials in all pediatric age groups, including preterm and newborn infants.

   

• Facilitating study setup through a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in each country.

   

• Collaborating with specialist networks to share knowledge and best practices.

   

• Promoting innovative trial methodologies that reflect the real-world needs of patients and families.

   

• Ensuring the voices of children, adolescents, and caregivers guide the development and delivery of research.

c4c places a strong emphasis on actively involving patients and their caregivers throughout the research process. This includes:

• Participating in advisory panels

   

• Reviewing and assessing patient-facing materials

   

• Engaging in dialogue with researchers and trial designers

   

Children, adolescents, and caregivers can become c4c Patient Experts, using their lived experience to help shape safer, more effective, and more relevant clinical trials.

The c4c website offers an educational resource library tailored for parents, young patients, and caregivers. The platform provides clear, age-appropriate information on:

• Medicines and medical tests for children, including how a child’s body processes medication or how to prepare for a CT scan

   

• How pediatric clinical trials work, explained in easy-to-understand language

   

• Parental rights and ethical considerations, including informed consent and understanding the risks and benefits of clinical trials

   

• A glossary of terms to support understanding of medical and research language

Are you a caregiver, young patient, patient representative, or member of a patient organization? We’re excited to announce the launch of a toolkit of educational resources on the c4c website!

This toolkit is designed to support patients participating in clinical trials, their families, and Young Persons Advisory Groups (YPAGs). It offers clear, accessible information to help young patients and their caregivers better understand pediatric clinical research and feel empowered throughout the process.

Your voice matters - c4c welcomes your perspective to help shape better pediatric clinical research across Europe.

As a proud partner in the c4c network, GFCNI contributes to the project in several key ways:

• Monitoring and evaluating clinical trials

   

• Delivering training sessions for both industry professionals and patients on Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

   

• Developing a White Paper with practical recommendations to strengthen PPI in pediatric research

   

• Creating and managing a dedicated PPI newsletter for database participants

   

• Reviewing advice requests related to PPI integration in trial planning

   

• Supporting the active participation of parents and patient representatives

   

• Contributing to the development of educational materials for patients and families about pediatric clinical research

   

• Leading communication and dissemination efforts to share the project's goals, progress, and outcomes

Learn more about patient, caregiver, and parent involvement in c4c by downloading our brochure in your preferred language:

Explore additional information on the c4c project at:

Stay connected with us on social media:

This project has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under Grant Agreement No. 777389. The Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and EFPIA.

The content on this page reflects the author’s views only. Neither IMI, the European Union, EFPIA, nor any associated partners are responsible for how the information is used.