Published on 05.03.2026
Human Research: What’s up !
Insurance coverage
Certain research projects and clinical trials subject to the Human Research Act must be covered by a specific insurance for any harm that may be caused to participants. The Rectorate recently confirmed that the insurance premium can be covered by the University's general budget when such coverage is required.
As a reminder, projects and clinical trials that entail only minimal risks and burdens (category A) do not require specific insurance coverage. The University of Fribourg's standard liability insurance coverage is generally sufficient.
For any questions or to contact the insurance company: julie.perriard@unifr.ch
New recommendations from Swissethics – GCP trainings
Following the update of the International Council for Harmonisation's Good Clinical Practice Guideline (ICH Guideline), Swissmedic and Swissethics have issued new requirements concerning the GCP trainings for principal investigators involved in the conduct of clinical trials. Swissethics also strongly recommends that project leaders of research subject to HRO as well as study team members of both clinical and nonclinical research have basic knowledge of research ethics.
More information on Swissethics website: News and Guidance for researchers regarding Research Ethics and GCP Training
CPCR Service Finder
The CPCR Service Finder is a new collaborative tool. It is designed for anyone involved in health and clinical research in Switzerland, from academic researchers and study coordinators to data managers and biobank professionals. The tool supports users in identifying which national infrastructures can provide the expertise, data, or resources they need at different stages of their projects.
The CPCR Service Finder has been developed by the national Coordination Platform Clinical Research (CPCR) in a joint effort of Swiss Biobanking (SBP), Swiss Cancer Institute, Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) and Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN). Swissethics joined the project and made its resources available.