The benefits to individual research groups of collaboration with BIG as an association with a central headquarter structure to collaborative research include, but are not limited to:
- The possibility to discuss research issues with breast cancer opinion leaders from over 40 different research groups, spread over the different continents
- Access to promising new drugs
- Faster accrual, especially in niche patient populations and, thus, faster answers to the study questions
- The potential to change medical practice by working within a large academic network and together with, but scientifically independent from, industry partners that can deliver new drugs to the market
- Potential participation in cutting-edge translational research related to BIG trials, including access to biological specimens on a competitive, peer-reviewed basis
- Access to BIG know-how for the conduct of large global trials and registration trials
- Linking to other important stakeholders in the research process (e.g., patient advocate networks, cancer societies)
Members can also access BIG Headquarters services such as the following:
- Support for the planning and organisation of meetings and arrangements for presenting at BIG scientific meetings
- Support for taskforces and committees, including related guidelines
- Access to a communications infrastructure supporting BIG research activities (e.g., BIG Newsletter, website, E-update; information at BIG booth during major breast cancer conferences)
- Support for contracts and general trial budgets, including templates, negotiations and general advice