I’m Modupe Idowu, I’m the medical director for UT Physicians Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center here in Houston, Texas. Clinical trials are research studies that investigate what effective and safe studies are, and this usually is compared to therapies or new drugs to what is standard of care or what we call placebo.
Importance of patients participating in Clinical Trials?
Oh, this is the only way to advance medicine. It’s the only way to discover, cure or even effective treatment for any disorder.
Should patients worry about test and trials?
Patients shouldn’t because there are so many regulations that are put in place to protect patients nowadays. Like the FDA, IRB, and many others that we’ll be talking about today.
Where can patients find clinical trials near them?
They can talk with their physicians. They can go to the sponsors and website. They can go to clinical trials.gov. They can go to STD studies.com. They can go to advocacy groups, websites, or maybe even on social media.
How are patients protected and what are their rights?
Well, you know, as I said, IRB, which is investigational review board. They’re a group of people that were put together to protect the rights and welfare of people that are participating in research studies. And basically, they look at everything to make sure that any studies are possibly done on animals first before they even try it out on a human being. And this study is mostly safe before they even try on patients.
