SHARP was overseen by an independent Steering Committee that included nephrologists, cardiologists, clinical trialists, and statisticians, with 2 non-voting observers from the main funder (Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals). The independent sponsor was the University of Oxford, and the trial was funded by Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and the UK Medical Research Council.