Welcome to the Foundation Fighting Blindness Clinical Consortium public website
Consortium Mission Statement
Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) seeks to build a Consortium for the purpose of conducting clinical studies in patients with rare inherited retinal disorders (IRDs). The goal of FFB is to accelerate the development of treatments for IRDs. To accomplish this, FFB plans to build centers of excellence to participate in sponsored clinical studies. Investigators from participating clinical centers will collaborate on ideas for hypotheses, study designs, analysis plans, and publications. Data from the completed trials will be archived in an open central repository to stimulate further hypothesis generation and innovation.
Information for New Consortium Clinical Centers
More background information for Clinical Centers is below. Please note we are not currently accepting new applications. Any potential new sites interested in future opportunities please email: ffb@jaeb.org.
FFB Background Information
FFB Clinical Consortium Governance Document
Collaboration Guidelines
Guidance for Consortium collaboration with partners from industry, government, and other nonprofits.
FFB Clinical Consortium Collaboration Guidelines - Sponsored Trials
FFB Clinical Consortium Collaboration Guidelines - Investigator-Initiated Studies
Consortium Data Ideas and Requests
Please refer to the following FAQs related to study ideas and using Consortium data.
Click here to review the Manuscript Development Process.
You can also email ffb@jaeb.org at any time to request assistance.
| Study Ideas | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | First Step | Committee Approval Required? | Governance Document Section |
| A | I have an idea for a new FFB Clinical Consortium study | Complete a Protocol Idea Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee | 6.1 New Studies |
| B | I have an idea for adding an ancillary objective to an existing Consortium study | Complete a Consortium Ancillary Study Idea Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee | 6.1 New Studies |
| C | I would like to conduct my own independent ancillary study that will include participants involved in an existing Consortium study | Complete an Independent Ancillary Study Idea Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee | 6.1 New Studies |
| Manuscript Ideas | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | First Step | Committee Approval Required? | Governance Document Section |
| A | I have an idea for a manuscript or presentation, and I would like to scientifically collaborate with the Consortium on this publication. | Complete an Analysis Idea Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee | 4.1 Editorial Policy |
| Requests to use information that does not require study data | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | First Step | Committee Approval Required? | Governance Document Section |
| A | I would like to present or publish general information about the Consortium and will include no study data | Contact the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | No, but the Coordinating Center should be notified | 5.1.3.4.1 General Consortium Information |
| B | I would like to use data that I have collected on my own patients who are participating in a Consortium study as part of an independent ancillary study. No Consortium data will be used. | Contact the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | No, but the Coordinating Center should be notified, and a disclaimer must be added | 5.1.3.4.2 Independent Ancillary Study Data |
| Requests to use study data from a public dataset (Study has ended) | |
| C | I would like to access a public dataset. | Complete a Secondary Research Request Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee and Research Compliance Committee; Data Transfer and Processing Agreement required | 5.1.3.2 Requests to Use Study Data from a Public Dataset |
| Requests to use or access study data before it is publicly available | |
| D | I would like to access data in pursuit of a scientific collaboration with the Consortium on a publication or presentation or other analysis idea. | Complete an Analysis Idea Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee | 5.1.3.3.1 Academic Researchers Seeking Data Access (Aggregate or Individual Observations) - with Scientific Collaboration |
| E | I would like access to tabulated or summary data, without scientific collaboration with the Consortium | Complete an Aggregate Data Request Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee*, and a disclaimer must be added | 5.1.3.3.2 Any Request for Aggregate Data – without Scientific Collaboration |
| F | I would like to publish or present Consortium data that I already have access to, without scientific collaboration with the Consortium. | Complete a Data Use Request Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org) | Yes, Executive Committee, and a disclaimer must be added | 5.1.3.3.3 Academic Researchers Seeking to Use Their Own Study Data– without Scientific Collaboration |
| G | I am a researcher or a company that would like to access de-identified, participant-level study datasets, without scientific collaboration with the FFB Consortium. | Complete a Secondary Research Request Form and submit it to the Coordinating Center (ffb@jaeb.org). | Yes, Executive Committee and Research Compliance Committee. A Data Transfer and Processing Agreement is required. | 5.1.3.3.4 Any Request for Data Access to Individual Observations – without Scientific Collaboration |
* If the origin of this request is a company, the request will also be routed to FFB Leadership to determine if it may be related to existing or possible future industry collaboration.