Advancing research to tackle multimorbidity: the UK and LMIC perspectives

On 20 and 21 June 2018, the Academy hosted a two-day workshop on the topic of multimorbidity together with the MRC (now part of UKRI), the NIHR, and Wellcome. 

Status: Completed

On 20 and 21 June 2018, the Academy organised a two-day workshop together with the Medical Research Council (MRC, now part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and Wellcome. 

The workshop was organised to explore how best to support multimorbidity research in both the UK and in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), and followed the publication of an international policy report on this topic, by the Academy, in April 2018 - Multimorbidity: a priority for global health research’.

The report of this workshop is now available to download from the right-hand side of this page, along with the agenda and copies of the presentations. More information about the workshops aims is also provided below. 

The primary objective of the workshop was to provide a platform to discuss key priorities for multimorbidity research, with the aim of identifying:

  • Areas where research can have the most impact in addressing multimorbidity.
  • Current barriers to performing and funding research, and ways in which they can be overcome.
  • The methodological approaches needed to better enable multimorbidity research.
  • The best mechanisms with which research funders can support research activity in this area.

Day 1 (20 June) was dedicated to exploring the challenges and opportunities facing multimorbidity research in the UK, while Day 2 (21 June) explored these issues within LMIC settings. 

The workshop report summarises the discussions held across these two days. It outlines the similarities between the epidemiology and impact of multimorbidity in the UK and LMICs, as well as highlighting 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 delighted that the outcomes of the workshop were also fed into a joint funding call issued by the MRC and NIHR in July 2018, which invited proposals aiming to increase our understanding of disease clustering in the UK context. The call is now closed, although more information can still be found at the following site: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/browse/multimorbidity/multimorbidity-in-the-uk-population-understanding-disease-clustering/ 

It was also agreed that a cross-funder statement will be issued by the end of 2018 highlighting the commitment of several major funders to help progress multimorbidity research. More information will be added to this page as it becomes available. 

For more information about the Academy's work on multimorbidity, please click here

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