What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

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Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Amanda - Interview 22 >> Amanda describes a double-blind trial of pro-biotic yoghurt to control irritable bowel syndrome. She felt the research nurse wanted a particular resul

Amanda has taken part in a trial of pro-biotic yoghurt for irritable bowel syndrome, and withdrew from a trial about early interventions to prevent diabetes. She is setting up a website for the public to design their own trials.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Phil - Interview 11 >> Phil explains how the cholesterol-lowering drug and placebo were blinded, but he guessed he might be taking the active drug because his cholesterol le

Phil took part in a trial of medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. He had some side effects early on, so the medication was changed. He has been very happy with the care provided as part of the trial.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate and her husband guessed correctly that she was getting the active injection and he was getting the placebo, because they reacted differently.

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Amanda - Interview 22 >> Amanda wanted to run a trial on herself to see if a change of drug made any real difference to her arthritis, but was held up by the ethics approval p

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Leslie - Interview 43 >> Leslie was taken off the trial by hospital staff when he became so ill he was rushed into hospital by ambulance.

Leslie took part in a placebo-controlled drug trial of rofecoxib (Vioxx) for prostate cancer prevention. He became extremely ill, but doctors monitoring his progress did not pick up his symptoms. He took the drug company to court, and won compensation.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Tony - Interview 36 >> Tony explains why he took part in an early placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction, and why testing against a placebo

Tony took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction following a prostate operation. He was in the placebo arm but was given Viagra after the trial ended. (Husband of Pam, Interview 21).

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate’s husband was annoyed when he guessed he was in the placebo group. He continued for the sake of the study, but it was a relief when it ended. He

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sergio - Interview 37 >> Sergio was told at the end of the trial he had been taking the active drug, but his diabetes symptoms had not changed. He always understood the trial

Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> David - Interview 34 >> He’d have been interested to see what happened if he had been in the placebo group. Before the trial he might have felt disappointed to get a placebo

David volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a new treatment derived from mouse DNA to improve asthma symptoms. He later discovered he was in the group taking a lower dose of the treatment, but he would not have minded being in the placebo group.

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer drugs and radiotherapy - randomised trials >> Jayne - Interview 03 >> Jayne explains that blinding to patients and staff is not always possible, but you can still make sure the person analysing the results is blinded to

Jayne had breast cancer aged 33. She wanted to join a clinical trial but her consultant was not interested, so she transferred to another hospital and took part in a trial comparing tamoxifen with tamoxifen plus goserelin (Zoladex).

Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Charles - Interview 29 >> He did not mind the idea of a placebo, and would have been curious to see if he was susceptible to the placebo effect. He might have dropped out if he

Charles volunteered for two trials, but ended up unable to take part in either of them. The first time he did not meet the eligibility criteria. The second time was because of an administrative mix-up about his age, and he feels it was not well handled.

What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

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