CISCRP Links Up With Euro Groups on Patient Education

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is collaborating with the European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI) and the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) in promoting public awareness of, and involvement in, clinical trials.

CISCRP's first international meeting, AWARE for All, will be held in London on March 7. The complementary educational event and health fair is being supported by EUPATI and EPF, as well as Merck. The aim is to improve understanding about clinical research participation and promote dialogue by connecting patients, researchers, and members of the local community.

"Patient willingness to participate in clinical trials in Europe is waning and general awareness and knowledge about clinical research is very low,” said Ken Getz, Founder and Chairman of the Board at CISCRP. “The recent tragedy in France has also raised concerns about the safety, risks, and benefits of taking part in clinical trials. These are among the topics that we are here to address. The launch of our first international event in London reflects our aim to empower and educate the British public and patient communities to make more informed decisions about clinical research."

Participants can take advantage of free health screenings and hear presentations by prominent doctors and researchers on current research advancements in oncology, psychiatry, respiratory, and Alzheimer's disease.

"A recent survey conducted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network showed that 95% of people feel it's important to them that the NHS (UK National Health Service) carries out clinical research, but less than 21% said they would feel very confident about asking their doctor about opportunities," said speaker Simon Denegri from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Chair of INVOLVE. "In aiming to break down the barriers for UK citizens in understanding and accessing information and opportunities in clinical research, [the meeting] builds on the work that NIHR has pioneered with its 'Ok to ask' campaign. This is vitally important in order to increase confidence, knowledge, and ultimately participation in clinical research, which is essential for future medical advancement in the UK."

Getz is also the keynote speaker at a meeting in Wrexham, North Wales, to be held on March 9. Called “Meet the Clinical Trials Expert: Hot Topics in Global Drug Development,” the free interactive workshop is being organized by Glyndwr University and will be chaired by Prof. Mike Rubinstein, Chairman and Founder of Quay Pharma in Deeside, UK.

Further details about the London event are available at awareforall.org. For the Wrexham meeting, contact Christina Blakey at c.blakey@glyndwr.ac.uk.