Cost consideration of clinical trials

Recommendations for the preparation of a total services calculation for remuneration related to the conduct of a clinical trial in a trial center

Carrying out clinical trials is often subject to time constraints. In order to start a clinical trial as soon as possible, it should be possible to finalize the underlying contracts between the parties quickly and easily while addressing all relevant issues. In this context, it is helpful if the potential partners in the contract have (in their respective negotiations) recommendations available that identify examples of recurrent cost items for the accurate determination of the remuneration.

In this regard, representatives of the Association of Medical Faculties in Germany (MFT), the German Association of Academic Medical Centers (VUD), the Network of Coordination Centers for Clinical Trials (KKS Network) and the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa) have drawn up recommendations for the preparation of such a total services calculation for the first time in 2017. In 2025, the following upaded version of the common recommendations was published in collaboration with the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (BPI) and the German Association of Medical Contract Research Organizations (BVMA).

Updated Joint Recommentations for total service calculation

Link to the publication of the previous version (2019) in German Medical Science (GMS)