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Clinical Trials in Uveitis |
This new section aims to simplify the subject of clinical trials and to inform of clinical trials in the field of uveitis. We recognise it is important to be able to find neutral information in this necessarily commercial area and so this section is being set up in conjunction with uveitis specialists involved in clinical trails.
Anyone interested in finding out about new or improved treatments for uveitis will at some time wonder about how clinical trials work and how they might benefit from them. As a patient group, UIG would like to provide some general information about clinical trials and inform patients of clinical trials which are currently running in the field of uveitis. This will be updated on our website and be published in our annual newsletter.
For Current clinical trials which are seeking patients, please read the information below and follow the link at the top or bottom of page.
The aim is to help people understand clinical trials and to give general background only.
For anyone considering taking part in a clinical trial, the aim would be to inform them of the current running trials and give them the necessary information regarding the specialist in charge of it so as to allow them to discuss their participation with their doctors. We would make available the necessary forms and information for these trials in full. Any such information would have been prepared and approved by various ethics committees for that particular trial. It would include such things as benefits and risks of the trial, conditions for being accepted or leaving the trial and also things like travelling expenses etc.
Clinical trials can be initiated by drug companies or by research Institutes and uveitis specialists (researchers). In any of these cases, a specialist will be in charge of the study (chief investigator) These studies are submitted for approval by local ethics committees.
For simplicity and neutrality, the UIG will only publish information regarding clinical trials in conjunction with uveitis specialists who are responsible for them.
What is a clinical trial?
Clinical trials represent the best way of demonstrating if a new therapeutic approach works and especially if it is safe to be routinely used in clinical practice. In a Clinical Trial the new approach is usually compared to the current one, and for it to be approved it has to be superior or at least equal, but with less side effects/toxicity
They may be funded by drugs companies, government organisations eg NHS, or sometimes large charities.
What do clinical trials test?
We tend to think of clinical trials as testing a new drug to see if it works.
However, there are many more things which a clinical trial may be aiming to find out including:
- Is a new treatment actually better than an existing older treatment?
- It may want to compare two treatments which have been around for ages to see which is best
- It may be a drug which is tested but also may be a surgical procedure, a physical procedure, or even type of information or advice given to patients.
- It may be looking at ‘alternative’ or complementary treatments
How is a clinical trial planned?
Before treatments can be tested on humans, they will have already undergone extensive investigation in the laboratory and, where applicable testing on animals.
If the results from these studies are positive, the next step is to seek approval to begin trials in humans. Approval has to be sought from the appropriate regulatory authority. In the UK this is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The researchers who will run the clinical trial must then draw up a plan (or protocol) which will include what the clinical trial is trying to find out, who and how many people will be recruited, information for those taking part and how results will be collected and published.
The plan then undergoes an independent scientific review and must also be approved by an ethics committee before the trial can go ahead. This is to ensure that the patient’s best interests and safety will be looked after and that also the science and design of the trial is sound.
Once all this approval is received then the researchers can recruit patients to the clinical trial. It is only at this stage that the official plan or protocol and how to apply will be published on this web site. From that stage onwards anyone interested in taking part in the trial and the patient must refer to the plan and contact the specialist / researcher conducting the trial usually via their GP or Ophthalmologist.
To find out about current clinical trials in uveitis then please follow this link
Current Clinical trials in Uveitis
Form more general information about clinical trials try these websites below:
UK Clinical Research Collaboration: http://www.ukcrc.org
UK Clinical Research Network: http://www.ukcrn.org.uk