Forging a critical alliance: Addressing the research needs of the United States critical illness and injury community.

Objective: Discuss the research needs of the critical illness and injury communities in the United States.

Data Sources: Workshop session held during the 5 National Institutes of Health Symposium on the Functional Genomics of Critical Illness and Injury (November 15, 2007).

Study Selection: The current clinical research infrastructure misses opportunities for synergy and does not address many important needs. In addition, it remains challenging to rapidly and properly implement system-wide changes based upon reproducible evidence from clinical research.

Data Extraction: Author presentations, panel discussion, attendee feedback.

Data Synthesis: The critical illness and injury research communities seek better communication and interaction, both of which will improve the breadth and quality of acute care research. Success in meeting these needs should come from cooperative and strategic actions that favor collaboration, standardization of protocols, and strong leadership. An alliance framed on common goals will foster collaboration among experts to better promote clinical trials within the critically ill or injured patient population.

Conclusions: The U.S. Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group was funded to create a clinical research framework that can reduce the barriers to investigation using an investigator-initiated, evidence-driven, inclusive approach that has proven successful elsewhere. This alliance will provide an annual venue for systematic review and strategic planning that will include framing the research agenda, raising awareness for the value of acute care research, gathering and promoting best practices, and bolstering the critical care workforce.