ESOTA

The European Stroke Organisation Trials Alliance (ESOTA) is a long-term strategic project which aims to be a key enabler of clinical trials in Europe.

ESOTA is a Network of Networks and supports researchers in finding research partners for successfully conducting a trial.

Vision

To provide rapid access to hundreds of hospitals to efficiently conduct stroke trials in Europe.

Mission

The overall purpose of ESOTA is to promote research funding, collaboration, education, communication and advocacy in stroke research across Europe, thus supporting the conduct of randomised clinical trials leading to improved therapies for patients to prevent and treat acute stroke and the longer term consequences of stroke.

Guiding Principles

  1. Wide consultation – ESOTA emphasises a ‘bottom up’ rather than ‘top down’ approach, where European members of ESO are regularly consulted and participate
  2. Realistic goals – ESOTA will develop in a gradual stepwise way
  3. Keep independence – participating European research networks keep their independence and are free to choose randomised trials for collaboration[1]Kelly P, Al-Shahi Salman R, Arsovska A, et al. Building a European ‘network of networks’ for stroke clinical research – The European Stroke Organisation Trials Alliance (ESOTA). European Stroke … Continue reading[2]Berge E, Ford GA, Stapf C, Al-Shahi Salman R, Fischer U, Coveney S, Weimar C, Arnold M, Arsovska A, Lemmens R, Nederkoorn PJ, Kelly PJ. Are there opportunities for a closer collaboration on clinical … Continue reading

“ESOTA is a great initiative of the European Stroke Organisation and especially helpful for small countries like Switzerland in finding the ideal research partners for multicenter clinical trials.”

– Marcel Arnold, National Lead Switzerland, Swiss Stroke Network

“Science has evolved over the last decades, so that major breakthroughs are now highly dependent on collaborative work among multiple researchers, institutes, and countries. The field of cerebrovascular disease is no exception to this fact. ESOTA, through its expanding network across Europe, plays a key role to facilitate clinical trial collaborations for stroke researchers. As the Turkish stroke community, we are delighted and excited to be a part of this organization.”

– Ethem Murat Arsava, National Lead Turkey, TurkStrokeNet – Turkish Stroke Research and Clinical Trials Network

“The strength of collaborative, Pan-European approaches to stroke trials, was very clear during the Covid-19 pandemic. When one country was under pressure and health services were under strain, other countries could keep enrolling, allowing the trial to keep up momentum and ultimately reach completion.”

– Jesse Dawson, National Lead Scotland, Scottish Stroke Research Network

“Stroke is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. To provide evidence-based answers to important clinical questions, as well as generalisable results, it is important that national research networks work together to design and deliver clinical trials and other well-designed studies. The NIHR Clinical Research Network’s work with ESOTA and GAINS is a vital aspect of this international collaboration.”

– Tom Robinson, National Lead UK, UK Stroke Clinical research network

ESOTA is an initiative of the European Stroke Organisation, supporting its research mission.

A Steering Group consisting of members of the ESO Trials Network Committee and Leads of member networks guides decision-making, informed by ESO members and reporting to the ESO Board and Executive Committee. All rules relating to ESO Committees apply to the Steering Group.

References
References
↑1 Kelly P, Al-Shahi Salman R, Arsovska A, et al. Building a European ‘network of networks’ for stroke clinical research – The European Stroke Organisation Trials Alliance (ESOTA). European Stroke Journal. 2019;4(3): 224–232. doi: 10.1177/2396987319845589
↑2 Berge E, Ford GA, Stapf C, Al-Shahi Salman R, Fischer U, Coveney S, Weimar C, Arnold M, Arsovska A, Lemmens R, Nederkoorn PJ, Kelly PJ. Are there opportunities for a closer collaboration on clinical stroke research in Europe? Eur Stroke J. 2018 Mar;3(1):22-28. doi: 10.1177/2396987317747456. Epub 2017 Dec 11.