Clinical Trials
At Bournemouth we are involved in running a large number of clinical trials for haematology patients. This is beneficial not only for patients by offering cutting edge therapies, but also for the hospital and primary care trust by saving significant funds (cost of the drugs is covered by the trials).
Clinical trials are medical research trials involving patients. They are carried out to try and find new and better treatments. Carrying out clinical trials is the only way to find out if a new approach to cancer care is better than the standard treatments currently used.
Clinical trials may also be carried out to:
- See if new combinations of drugs are more effective or give fewer side effects
- Find out how cancer treatments work
- See which treatments have less impact on patients' everyday activities
Our research nurses will meet with the patients to discuss the different treatment options that have been initially mentioned by the consultants. This gives the opportunity to ask further questions about the treatments and different drugs they are likely to receive. Louise & Nicola will then make the appropriate appointments specified by the trial protocol and communicate this to ensure the patients have a clear understanding of what will be required. They will continue to coordinate study activities whilst the patient is on the trial, and are a point of contact both for the patient and the family.
Our Data Manager helps coordinate and collate anonymised patient data from medical assesments for various clinical trials, according to their protocol and submits these to the relevant trial groups for review.
Our project co–ordinator is responsible for the trial set up, submission of new trials and amendments to the Research & Development department to ensure the appropriate regulatory documents are submitted for review by departments and approvals are in place prior to the opening and continuation of the trials.
The trials offered within the Haematology department are run by both academic institutions and by commercial companies.
