Leicester’s Hospitals is celebrating International Clinical Trials Day on Monday 20 May by encouraging more people to be part of research in 2019.
Professor Nigel Brunskill, Director of Research and Innovation at Leicester’s Hospitals said: “Evidence shows that research active trusts have better patient outcomes. Leicester’s Hospitals, together with our partners at the University of Leicester, have a strong track record of delivering world-class research. We want to make sure as many people as possible can benefit from the discoveries made by raising awareness of what we do and encouraging more people to volunteer.
“Visitors to any of our hospital sites on Monday 20 May – whether for an antenatal appointment, outpatients’ clinic in rheumatology or simply to have a coffee in our Glenfield restaurant – will have the opportunity to find out more about our latest research activities and how they might get involved.”
The full list of activities:
- Roving Researchers – trolleys loaded with information and goodies visiting outpatient clinics at the Royal and Glenfield
- Tabletop stands at the General (main entrance; neurology; diabetes; gastrointestinal department and hepatology)
- Tabletop stand at Glenfield (restaurant)
- Samosa sale and stand in Osborne building, Royal Infirmary
- Activities for inpatients and their siblings on the children’s oncology ward, and teenager and young persons’ cancer unit
- Goodie bags and cake for patients in the Hope Clinical Trials Facility and on Osborne wards
- A visit from pupils of Hazel Community Primary School to the Research Space at the Royal for a day of practical science skills
John Adler, Chief Executive at Leicester’s Hospitals, said: “We have had a bumper research year and would like to thank each and every one of our 15,051 participants who have given their time to help us develop better treatments and care pathways for our patients by taking part in research. With over 1,000 active trials taking place in any year, we provide many opportunities for people to be part of improving healthcare now and for future generations.”
International Clinical Trials (ICT) Day is an annual event held on 20 May. The date was chosen in recognition of James Lind, a naval surgeon who conducted the first recorded clinical trial on 20 May 1753.
Members of Lind’s crew were suffering from scurvy, which is a disease that causes swollen, bleeding gums and previously healed wounds to open. Lind created a trial where he divided the sailors into different groups and gave them specific items to eat and drink.
The group that had been given oranges and lemons had practically recovered in just five days, leading to his theory that citrus fruit cured the disease. Later discoveries of vitamin C confirmed this was the chemical in citrus fruit that cured the illness.
All the events marking International Clinical Trials Day at Leicester’s Hospitals are joint initiatives with the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR Leicester Clinical Research Facility. It is part of a national network of events held on ICT day that are supporting the NIHR’s campaign ‘Be Part of Research’ to get more people engaged with clinical research. For more information visit www.bepartofresearch.uk
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