Inspired by Professor Alberto Martini and Professor Nicolino Ruperto and their close collaboration with Drs. Edward Giannini and Daniel Lovell from the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG) in Cincinnati, in 1996 the Paediatric Rheumatology INternational Trials Organisation (PRINTO) emerged as a non-profit, non-governmental, international research network, which initially included paediatric rheumatology leaders from 14 European countries.
Originating in Pavia (Italy), thanks to the initial support of the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 5 years later PRINTO moved to the hospital IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini in Genoa, where the organization’s research activities significatively developed.
Thanks to the alliance with PRCSG, several clinical trials have been conducted, leading to FDA, EMA and worldwide approval of biological treatments for children. Through collaborative work on different methodological papers, Fondazione PRINTO ETS and PRCSG enhanced the identification of patients’ disease state and activities, improved the efficiency of study designs, and optimized the standardization of data handling, from collection to reporting.
Pivotal to the growth of Fondazione PRINTO ETS has been the partnership with the Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS), the leading European scientific society for healthcare professionals focused on paediatric rheumatology. Fondazione PRINTO ETS has been a co-opted member of PReS since its inception. Dedicated to advancing excellence in paediatric rheumatology, PReS fosters top-tier clinical care, training, education, research, and leadership among healthcare professionals and scientists globally. Moreover, together with PReS, PRINTO created a website for families and patients available in more than 50 languages. The website offers up-to-date consensus information on paediatric rheumatic diseases and a list of the national paediatric centres and family associations.
Starting from 2000, significant advancements have been made in the development and testing of paediatric medicines both in the EU and in the USA. In 2006, the implementation of the Paediatric Regulation led to a positive impact on the development of new paediatric treatments, in particular new treatments for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). For PRINTO and other organizations involved in paediatric clinical research, this has meant a substantial evolution of their role.
In 2020, PRINTO developed into a legal entity, notably a charity called Fondazione PRINTO ETS (“Ente del Terzo Settore”, third sector not-for-profit body as per Italian and European legislation). Since October 2024, Fondazione PRINTO ETS has moved to Milan area, and it currently counts on the cooperation of 2072 members, 731 clinical research centers in 95 countries worldwide. It continues its commitment to pursue excellence in clinical research to ultimately improve the lives of children with rheumatic diseases.