Clinical Trials and Medical Blog

In a trial that sounds like something out of science fiction, researchers in Switzerland have managed to recreate out of body experiences. Using virtual reality display goggles the volunteers could see virtual recreations of their own bodies in real time, or with a time lag, which the researchers would touch or stroke.

The volunteers reported that by viewing the stroke they felt more of a sensation, even with a time lag, making the virtual representation of themselves fell more “real”.

Dr Ehrsson said:

“This experiment suggests that the first-person visual perspective is critically important for the in-body experience. In other words, we feel that our self is located where the eyes are.”

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In Adelaide researchers have started trials on, what they claim is, the world’s best Influenza and Bird Flu protection.

The reason for the breakthrough is the added natural sugar adjuvants to the vaccine. Adjuvants amplify the immune system’s response to the virus to increase the effectiveness of vaccines.

Team leader Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology Professor Nikolai Petrovsky says the sugar-based adjuvant is safe:

“Our data already shows our adjuvant enhances the immune response against the common flu virus and we expect it to work equally well for an avian (bird) flu vaccine,”

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Just a quick note to say thanks to CSS Mania for indexing the new look MedTrials. We were aiming for a good looking and well developed site and this confirms it for us.

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According to Cancer Research UK, US scientists have an exciting new target for anti-cancer drugs.

The ‘ras’ gene aids normal cell growth, but when it gets “mutated”, it can contribute to cell over-production and in the end tumour growth.

Dr Christopher Counter, the associate professor of cancer biology and pharmacology at Duke University Medical Centre, stated:

Since it has been so difficult to target the ras gene itself with drugs, we tried to determine if something that ras activates could be a possible target for a drug or therapy.

We found a specific target that could be susceptible to drugs, and if these findings are proven true in human trials, we could have a new way of treating ras-dependent cancers.

Visit the cancer research website for more information:

Cancer Research UK article on the ras gene

Visit the MedTrials community site to discuss in more detail with others:

MedTrials Community site

When working on this website and finding out as much as possible about clinical trials and what they are used for - and who needs to use them - I’ve discovered just how hard it is to promote the idea that they are necessary, important and ultimately life-saving.

Forget about the money and the advertising. By taking part in a clinical trial you are helping to advance medical science, even slightly, and by taking that to it’s conclusion you are advancing human knowledge.

No one argues that giving blood is anything but noble and “the right thing to do” but there are places you get paid for doing that. Anything to encourage people to potentially save someone’s life!

Interestingly I found an article from 2005 (a bit old, I know) that speaks of a Professor from Manchester claiming that not only clinical trials important, they should also be every person’s duty:

TAKING part in scientific research should be compulsory, a Manchester professor has claimed.

Leading ethics expert John Harris wants scientific research to become a public duty as important as putting on your seatbelt, getting your child vaccinated or doing jury service.

The professor of bioethics at Manchester University’s Institute of Medical Ethics says everyone should be morally obliged to support or take part in medical studies.

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After a bit of chat on our forum about foods high in antioxidants I found an article from Best Life Magazine about the “8 Foods You Should Eat Every Day”.

Among the useful hints and tips, there’s this about tomatoes (Just to keep the community posters happy):

There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

If the sound of forcing down 8 healthy foods a day is a bit much, each section includes a couple of ideas to mix 2 or 3 of these super foods together in one meal. For example, for Black Beans they suggest:

Black Bean and Tomato Salsa Dice 4 tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 jalapeños, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 1 mango. Mix in a can of black beans and garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 2 limes.

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A new minature blood pump developed by CircuLite, Inc. has been successfully transplanted into a patient in Germany. The device, the size of an AA battery, is designed to provide long-term, partial circulatory support in patients with chronic heart failure.

“The first implant of the Synergy device was very successful and the patient has already been discharged home and is doing very well,” said Prof. Meyns, Principal Investigator of the trial. “While CircuLite’s feasibility clinical study is in a bridge-to-transplant setting, the ultimate need for this type of device will be among those chronic heart failure patients who may not be eligible for a heart transplant. A partial support approach to chronic heart failure treatment may be better able to address the treatment needs and improve the quality of life for this unserved group of patients, who otherwise have no other options.”

The next phase of the project will take place in up to three European hospitals where they are hoping to enroll chronic heart failure patients who are awaiting heart transplantation and whose heart function is in a state of decline.

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A study carried out in Australia has found that Nitrous Oxide - used in operations as an anaesthetic for hundreds of years may lead to a higher risk of pneumonia.

“Paul Myles at the Alfred hospital in Melbourne collected data on about 2,000 patients in hospitals across the UK, Australia and Asia who received anaesthetic either with or without nitrous oxide. Those in the control group received a mix of around 80% oxygen plus either an injected or breathable anaesthetic. Those in the nitrous oxide group received 70% nitrous oxide as a baseline anaesthetic plus others to help put them under and keep them knocked out.”

“The team found that patients who did not receive nitrous oxide were 50% less likely to contract pneumonia and 20-30% less likely to suffer fever or wound infections after the surgery. They were also less likely to suffer heart problems and die after surgery, but these differences were not statistically significant, so the researchers are investigating them in a larger trial of about 7,000 patients. The research was published in the journal Anaesthesiology and is reported in New Scientist today.”

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Over the last few weeks we’ve been testing and coding and re-testing the new MedTrials site and we hope you like it.

Not only can you register your interest in taking part in a medical trial but we have introduced a forum. We’d like to start talking to a community of people interested in medical trials - whether you want to take part or would like to tell everyone about your experiences please join in: MedTrials community forum

In other news:

Alzheimer’s drugs remain limited: Campaigners have failed in their High Court bid to force the NHS to fund Alzheimer’s drugs in people with early-stage disease. read more >

MedTrials has been up and running for over a year now and in that time we’ve been thinking of new ways to help you get involved in Medical Trials across the UK.

And so first off is our blog - and the redesign of course. We thought it might be a good idea to start keeping track of what is going on in the world of clinical studies and our place in it. Over the next few weeks we intend to launch some new areas to the site and make this site fully accessible and open to everyone.

If you have any thoughts please leave a comment. And if you’d like to write your own blog while taking part in a trial we would like to hear from you - please use our contact form and let us know.