Set up in 2012, F-CRIN, for French Clinical Research Infrastructure Network, is a national platform dedicated to the development of French clinical research. It is led by Inserm in association with hospitals, healthcare manufacturers and universities, and supported by the French National Research Agency and the Ministry of Health.
Our mission
Our mission is to strengthen the competitiveness of French clinical research by creating a collective scientific and operational dynamic, in the service of patients. To achieve this, we rely on three pillars:
- federating clinical research players,
- developing the expertise of professionals by pooling know-how, resources and means,
- accelerating the adoption of new practices and the development of new therapeutic solutions.
Our organization
F-CRIN selects, supports and accompanies nationwide French clinical research networks and cutting-edge service platforms according to precise specifications. The label is awarded by the infrastructure's governance board following calls for applications upon positive evaluation by F-CRIN's international scientific board.
To date, F-CRIN has launched four waves of labeling:
- Campaign 2013: labeling of 8 investigation networks, 2 expertise networks and 2 platforms
- Campaign 2018: labeling of 4 investigation networks and 1 expertise network
- Campaign 2022: labeling of 4 investigation networks
- Campaign 2025: labeling of one investigative network in 2024 and 7 investigative networks in 2025
F-CRIN is therefore based today on a federative model unique in Europe structured around 28 components labeled by the Infrastructure:
- 26 networks thematic clinical research networks,
- a support platform for clinical research (EUCLID),
- and a national coordination unit, headquarters of the infrastructure, based in Toulouse.
The 26 clinical research networks cover a wide range of medical topics addressing public health priorities, and where France has recognized strengths of expertise:
- I-REIVAC (vaccinologie)
- NS-PARK (Parkinson's disease and abnormal movements)
- CRISALIS (severe asthma)
- FCRIN4MS (sclérose en plaques)
- INI-CRCT (cardiorenal diseases)
- FORCE (nutrition, obesity and metabolic disorders)
- PEDSTART (pediatrics)
- INNOVTe (venous thromboembolic disease)
- FRCRnet (pathologies rétiniennes)
- CRI-IMIDIATE (autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases)
- FACT (cardiovascular diseases)
- CRICS- TRIGGERSEP (resuscitation and sepsis)
- ACT4ALS-MND (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and motor neurone disease)
- F-PSYNet (psychotic disorders)
- FRADEN (atopic dermatitis)
- StrokeLink (stroke)
- MUST (primary care)
- OrphanDev (rare diseases)
- TECH4HEALTH (medical devices)
- F-MOM (santé maternelle)
- GRACE (cardiac amyloidosis)
- CONDOR (COPD - pulmonology)
- FAMIREA (réanimation)
- Myco-NET (mycobacterial infections)
- RENARCI (infectiology)
- CLEIO (advanced therapies)
This diversity illustrates F-CRIN's ability to federate varied expertise in the service of clinical research.
To find out more about our networks, visit our dedicated mapping.
Our governance
The F-CRIN infrastructure is based on a Consortium Agreement, the founding text constituting its legal foundation. It defines its governance and organization, and anchors the infrastructure for the long term.
The current Consortium Agreement was signed in 2025. It runs until December 31, 2029, with the possibility of being extended by amendment.
The Agreement was signed by six partners: the Inserm, the Comité National de Coordination de la Recherche (CNCR), the Conférence des Directeurs généraux de CHRU representing hospitals, France Universités, the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) and the Fédération Française des Industries de Santé (FEFIS), representing healthcare manufacturers (the main promoters and players in the French clinical research ecosystem).
This collective and unifying approach marked a new stage in the structuring of French clinical research. It is part of a broader dynamic, initiated in particular with the establishment of the Health Research Programs Agency in 2024 and the signing, in 2025, of the Joint Declaration of Intent between the Universities, CHUs and Inserm for a shared site policy.
Infrastructure funding
2011 - 2025: F-CRIN project
The F-CRIN infrastructure, winner of the "Biology and Health Infrastructures" Call for Projects launched in 2010 by the French National Research Agency (ANR), was awarded €18m in 2012 and an 8-year mandate to establish itself in the French Clinical research landscape and demonstrate its added value (project reference: ANR-10-INBS-0003).
Positively evaluated in 2019, ANR's support has been renewed until 2024 with an envelope of €5.4m. Indeed, the scientific jury judged that "F-CRIN is a success. In just a few years, the infrastructure has put in place an effective "proof of concept" organizational tool optimizing the existing fragmented system, synergizing the main French clinical research operators and relying on an original model of networks of excellence" (letter from ANR President to Inserm CEO - July 25, 2019).
In parallel, the infrastructure has received institutional support from the Ministry of Solidarity and Health's Direction Générale de l'Offre de Soins (DGOS) of €3.750m over the same period (2020/2024). Inserm and a number of other public and private partners are also providing financial support for F-CRIN and its components.
In 2024, the infrastructure has been earmarked as a national biology and health infrastructure on Line 172 "Multidisciplinary scientific and technological research" of the annual state budget.
2025 - 2029: Project "Strengthening the F-CRIN network"
In 2025, F-CRIN has received support from several organizations:
- Annual grant from the Ministry of Health's Direction Générale de l'Offre de Soins (DGOS) and annual recurring support from the Comité National de Coordination de la Recherche (CNCR);
- A state grant managed by the Agence nationale de la Recherche under France 2030 bearing the reference ANR-24-INBS-0017.
Our national coordination unit
"F-CRIN Coordination", a joint service unit (UMS 015) associating the Inserm, the CHU de Toulouse and the Université de Toulouse, is located in Toulouse. It performs a dual function:
- Representation of the F-CRIN infrastructure,
- Support services center for its networks and platform.
The unit has been committed to a quality approach since its creation in 2012. The collective work carried out by its teams has enabled the implementation of an ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System (QMS) since 2017 for all services performed by the Coordination around two areas of expertise:
- The steering of F-CRIN-labeled components,
- The implementation of actions to boost French clinical research.
