HEALTH MATTERS Increasing IBD Patient Participation In Clinical Trials

Posted by Dorothy on

73049(NAPSI)—According to the National Institutes of Health, over a quarter million clinical trials are currently being conducted in the U.S. Clinical trials are research studies that involve people. Through clinical trials, researchers find ways to improve existing treatments or test new treatment options for patients to improve quality of life for people with a specific disease. Clinical trials are one of the final stages of a long and careful research process, which often begins in a lab where scientists first develop and test new ideas. Clinical trials lead to new and better treatments for people with all kinds of conditions.

The Trouble

One problem, however, is recruiting people to participate. The vast majority of clinical trials experience delays due to enrollment challenges. This is especially true for those with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

A Solution

To help, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (the Foundation) created a dedicated Clinical Trials Community for IBD, made possible by support from AbbVie, Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., and Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. It’s designed to educate patients, caregivers, and health care providers about the clinical trial process, its value, and how to address barriers that exist in enrollment.

The Foundation discovered that some people see trials as a last resort and a treatment option that could potentially compromise their own health.

“These recruitment difficulties cause delays in attaining the critical data needed to move the drug development process forward,” explained Michael Osso, president and CEO of the Foundation. “Our Clinical Trials Community will provide education and resources to help overcome these challenges and accelerate treatment options toward approval.

“We know through our research that patients would be willing to participate in clinical trials if they were able to learn more about the purpose and importance of clinical trial research,” Osso added. “With a dedicated, singular resource, we are empowering patients to make decisions that are right for them, cultivating a culture of citizen scientists and creating opportunities for patients to support research that affects the whole IBD community.”

The Clinical Trials Community aims to:

  • Inform patients about the different phases and processes involved in clinical trial participation
  • Lessen the fears associated with clinical trials, leaving patients better informed to make decisions about trial participation
  • Equip patients with the knowledge to engage in more robust conversations with their providers about clinical trials.

The program includes a website, a clinical trial video series, IBD clinical trial finder, Patient Stories webpage, and research findings. Additional resources will be added as the community grows.

Learn More

For further information, visit www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/clinicaltrials, call (888) 694-8872, or e-mail clinicaltrials@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.

““With a dedicated, singular resource we are empowering patients to make decisions that are right for them, cultivating a culture of citizen scientists and creating opportunities for patients to support research that affects the whole IBD community.” http://bit.ly/2qBgS4a”