Advancing research to tackle multimorbidity

Today, we publish the report from our workshop, 'Advancing research to tackle multimorbidity: the UK and LMIC perspectives' held in partnership with the MRC (now part of UKRI), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Wellcome.

In June 2018, the Academy held a two-day joint workshop bringing together participants from funding agencies, researchers from high-, low- and middle-income countries (HICs and LMICs, respectively), and policymakers.

This workshop provided a platform to discuss and determine how best to support multimorbidity research, in both the UK and LMICs, in order address key priorities outlined in the Academy’s 2018 international policy report, Multimorbidity: a priority for global health research.

The workshop focused on three significant areas from this report – how to better understand the epidemiology of multimorbidity, its impact and burden, and its causes – and opened the conversation about how to overcome obstacles in order to advance the regional and global research agendas.

This workshop report summarises the similarities between the epidemiology and impact of multimorbidity in the UK and LMICs, as well as context-specific issues, challenges and opportunities for progress. It builds on the Academy’s earlier work in this area by more clearly outlining the specific research questions that must be addressed, and reflecting on the vital role that funding agencies should play in helping to advance the multimorbidity research agenda. Furthermore, a number of systemic and methodological approaches were uncovered that should be encouraged to better enable and accelerate multimorbidity research worldwide.

We are also delighted that, as a result of this workshop, a range of key funders have signalled their intention to work collaboratively to advance the multimorbidity research field. More information will be provided as it develops.

The workshop report can be downloaded from the right hand side of this page, and more information about the workshop (including copies of the agenda and presentations) can be found here. Additional information about the Academy’s wider work on multimorbidity can also be found on our dedicated policy page.