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July 2007,
Volume 4 Issue 3
In this issue:
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New DVDs Target African American,
Hispanic Audiences
Four new educational videos are giving heightened
visibility to the contributions of minorities in clinical research
today. Developed from a partnership among CISCRP, Eli Lilly and
Company, Public Health Television (PHTV), and academic medical and
community health centers, the new videos present the real-life stories
and experiences of African American and Hispanic clinical research
volunteers. |
Using clear, everyday language that is culturally appropriate
and easily understood, the videos are the first clinical research DVDs
to be specifically aimed at minority audiences. The videos detail the
clinical research process, including the different phases of testing and
questions to ask before participating in a study. Continued...
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Patient Experience is an EPIC Undertaking
A new national study is hoping to shed light
on clinical research from the participant’s point of view.
The Experiences of Patients in Clinical Trials (EPIC) study funded
by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will examine volunteers’
experiences before, during, and after they enroll in clinical trials,
and assess the differences in their experiences by socioeconomic
and insurance status.
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The results will be used to help clinical researchers
better understand why people participate in medical research and what
happens to them when they do. Continued...
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Standing on the shoulders of those
who came before
Clinical research participant and AWARE for All-Boston(AFA)
panelist Barbara Holtz described her successful treatment for breast
cancer with the then-experimental drug, Herceptin, at AFA-Boston
in June. Below is Holtz’s story. |
Editor. Teacher. Marketing professional. Barbara Holtz
has had a varied career. Perhaps her most meaningful “job”
was as a clinical research participant. Diagnosed with invasive ductal
carcinoma in 2001, Holtz underwent a lumpectomy and axillary node dissection
and entered the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for treatment soon after.
At their very first meeting, her oncologists suggested she consider enrolling
in a clinical trial of the drug Herceptin. Continued...
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Congressional resolution honors clinical
trial volunteers
Clinical research participants have long been
the “unsung heroes” of medical research, but if U.S.
Rep. Frederick “Rick” Boucher (D-VA) has his way, they
won’t be for long. The 12-term congressman recently introduced
a House resolution that calls upon the nation’s lawmakers
to honor and recognize the “sacrifice, commitment, and contributions”
of clinical trial participants.
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The legislation, House Resolution 248: Honoring the
Contributions of Patient Participants in Clinical Trials, was referred
to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in March. Continued...
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