Coalition for Clinical Trials Awareness Hosts Roundtable

Patient advocates, congressional staff and researchers to discuss how the federal government can increase clinical trials awareness
 
Washington, DC – The Coalition for Clinical Trials Awareness (CCTA), of which the Alliance for Patient Access is the managing member, will host a Capitol Hill policy roundtable on Wednesday, May 3, “How Can the Federal Government Increase Clinical Trials Awareness?” The event, offering perspectives from patient advocates, an FDA official and a researcher, will discuss how the federal government can develop a strategy to increase clinical trials awareness and address the clinical trials under-enrollment problem. Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) will provide remarks highlighting the importance of clinical trials awareness and participation.

The event is part of the nationwide Clinical Trials Awareness Week, May 1-5, which is hosted by CCTA. The week’s activities also include a Twitter chat on May 2 and a social media campaign, “Cures begin with clinical trials awareness.”

Clinical trials are an essential step in getting medications approved by the FDA and onto pharmacy shelves for patients. Currently, there is a severe shortage of clinical trial participants, which slows the process of approving medications and moving them to market for patients. One study reported that 11% of clinical trials fail to enroll even one participant.

Consequently, many groundbreaking, life-saving medications remain stuck in the drug development pipeline. With increased participation in clinical trials, however, patients and care providers will have greater access to approved medications.

Clinical Trials Awareness Capitol Hill Policy Roundtable
Wednesday, May 3
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
U.S. Capitol Visitors Center
Room SVC 214
Washington, DC

Panelists:

• Jonca Bull, MD - Assistant Commissioner, FDA Office of Minority Health
• Ellie Dehoney - Vice President, Policy and Advocacy, Research!America
• Renata Louwers - Patient Advocate, Clinical Trials Writer
• David Charles, MD - Chairman, Alliance for Patient Access & Medical Researcher

About The Coalition for Clinical Trials Awareness
The Coalition for Clinical Trials Awareness is a nonprofit group of health care providers, patient advocates, medical researchers and industry and government stakeholders working together to increase public awareness about the importance of clinical trials participation. http://cctawareness.org/